


Written On My Heart

by gingerfic



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Romance, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-22
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-14 07:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 21,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2182428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingerfic/pseuds/gingerfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt draws Blaine’s name in a massive secret pal exchange at work. He doesn’t know Blaine, and thinks he is giving to a female. Will he decide to reveal himself and actually meet Blaine at the end of the six weeks?<br/>Meanwhile, he has started noticing an attractive stranger...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Secret Pals

**Author's Note:**

> Working from this prompt:  
> "Why has no one written a soulmate fic where Kurt thinks the name Blaine is female?"
> 
> I'm still relatively new at this fic thing and have only written tiny short ficlets before, so I'm excited to take on a multi-chapter story. (This and my short ficlets can also be found at my tumblr http://gingerfic.tumblr.com/ )
> 
> Most chapters rated PG, but a few have some innuendo so I gave the fic an overall T rating just to be safe.

Every year in January and February the staff of the New York Times had a multi-department secret pal exchange. It helped keep off the post-holiday doldrums, and while it wasn't obligatory to participate, almost everyone joined in because it was fun. The NYT had over 1100 writers, plus administrative assistants and editors, and they all worked a 52-story building where most people were so busy that they rarely left their own departments. It wasn’t too surprising that most of them didn’t know each other, and the secret pal game was a fun way to get to know people in other departments.

Kurt Hummel had been on the 18th floor, writing for the Style section, for nearly seven years now. He had started as an intern during college, and while he wasn't a featured columnist or editor yet, he was getting articles published almost every week so he was making a decent living for himself. He had started participating in the secret pal thing during his third year here, as soon as he had graduated from school and actually had enough disposable income to give gifts that he deemed worthy of receiving. (After all, it would just be embarrassing to give someone something cheap or lame.)

Over the years Kurt had made some new friends though the secret pal thing--both people he had given to and people he had received gifts from. Most of his department had asked his advice on what to give at some point or other, and the word was starting to get out that he would keep secrets and help with discreet deliveries during secret pal weeks too. Kurt enjoyed the intrigue of it all at least as much as the actual shopping and gifting part.

Three years ago his involvement with secret pals had been the way he met Michael, a food critic from Dining. They had dated for two years before Michael took a job in Los Angeles and they had decided to break it off rather than try to figure out a cross-country long distance relationship between two very busy people. They still talked now and then, but it had never been that serious and Kurt hadn't been too heartbroken when it ended. He'd been alone for a while now though, and was ready to look again. He spent so much time at formal social events for work that he rarely had time to go anywhere casual where he might meet someone. So that left meeting someone at work. Of course half of his department was gay, but he knew them all too well and there wasn't anyone he wanted to date here. The NYT was enormous, and Kurt was busy, and the secret pal exchange had worked out for him in the past, so Kurt had high hopes of being able to meet someone interesting this year.

This year someone down in payroll  was coordinating secret pals, so on his way out at the end of the day on Jan 3 Kurt made a detour to the 2nd floor to draw a name. The girl behind the desk--Julie or Jamie or something he thought--gestured distractedly to the big basket on the counter behind her. “Have you done this before?” Kurt nodded. “So you know the drill. Pull a name out of the basket and all the details about your secret pal will be on there. No swapping names. We go for six weeks and you’re expected to give one gift each week. You decide whether or not to reveal yourself to your secret pal at the end.” Kurt smiled and nodded again. He knew what he was doing. He carefully reached into the basket and wiggled his fingers around among the small slips of paper, willing destiny to step in and help him find the perfect secret pal. After nearly a minute (and an odd look from...was it Jessie?) he finally pinched his fingers down on a paper and pulled it out.

_Blaine Anderson, Politics, floor 31_

Blaine? A girl? Kurt’s face fell slightly. Well, his secret pal wasn’t going to be his soulmate obviously, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t have fun with this. Gifts for girls were easy and more fun anyway. Kurt tucked the paper into his pocket and headed out the door. He already had a dozen ideas of possible gifts; now he had to narrow down which ones to choose. Oh, and he needed to find an accomplice on floor 31.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the story is complete, some of the comments on various chapters have spoilers for later chapters... just FYI. :)


	2. Simple Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaine soulmate AU.  
> Kurt and Blaine both work at the New York Times. Kurt drew Blaine’s name in a massive secret pals exchange, but they have never met before and he thinks the name Blaine is female.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated T for mild innuendo.

Kurt had been doing secret pals for six years, and since he had always drawn a stranger’s name he had always given the same thing for the first week: a gift card for Bean Around the World, a little gourmet coffeehouse on 38th. It was just a few blocks from the NYT Building, and had a variety of coffees, teas, and sinfully delicious baked goods, as well as options that were fair trade, vegan, organic, and gluten-free. It was one of those places where anyone could find something to enjoy, and after years of living with vegan Rachel Berry, Kurt knew that there were a lot of people who really appreciated that kind of thing.

Selecting the gift and picking it up was easy. Getting it to the designated recipient was going to be slightly harder because Kurt didn’t know anyone in the Politics department. Mmmm, Politics. Kurt hadn’t really thought about the implications of that until now. Most of the political writers were pretty smart people. Political happenings were every bit as, well, political as fashion or the arts, but they just tended to do things in a more understated way rather than being flamboyant. Still, intrigue could be fun, and it took a certain amount of confidence and even sass to be a successful political journalist. Kurt wondered if this Blaine Anderson woman was one of those--she probably was, because not a lot of women could hack it in the Politics department. Then again maybe she she was the floor receptionist or something. Not that there was anything wrong with being a receptionist, but the receptionist on his floor was incredibly boring so he was slightly jaded about the profession in general. If he was going to spend six weeks focused on someone, it would be nice if it was someone he could enjoy being friends with at the end.

Kurt had intentionally arrived to work early today so that he could deliver the gift card before Blaine arrived. Everyone took lunch breaks at different times, and lots of people worked into the evening, so mornings were really the best time for that. If he was lucky, Kurt might be able to look over Blaine’s desk and see if he could learn anything about her that way. People’s personal spaces were always so telling.

He walked through the front doors at 8:16 am, and went directly to the nearest elevators. He didn’t have to wait long (it does help when there are two dozen elevators in the building) and when he stepped inside he neatly punched the button that said ‘31’ before stepping to the back of the car and pulling out his cell phone to review his schedule for the day.

He only had to wait through three stops on his way up (which would have been unheard of if he’d arrived at his usual time), and he replaced his phone in his pocket as he stepped out onto the 31st floor. There must be at least a hundred cubicles on this floor, and he had no idea where Blaine’s desk might be. He could see the receptionist’s desk just off to the side of the elevator bay so he went there first. The receptionist wasn’t there yet, but he could see the nameplate on the counter: Lauren Zizes. Well that was unexpected! He had known of Lauren in high school. He hadn’t really known her well, but she’d had an attitude then and he was pretty sure that sass was precisely how she’d gotten herself working on the Politics floor of the New York Times. Excellent! Now he had an accomplice! He was about to grab one of her business cards from the tray next to the nameplate when he heard a loud voice behind him.

“Hummel? Is that you?!” Kurt turned around just in time to be hit by a jab to the shoulder that nearly knocked him into the desk.

“Hi, I didn’t know if you’d remember me…” Kurt started.

“Are you kidding?” Lauren said with a grin. “I mean, damn boy, time has been good to you, but I think I’d recognize you anywhere. I made it a point to know who all the glee clubbers were.”

Kurt’s eyes widened a bit as he raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Why?”

“Are you kidding? After those school assembly performances I figured anyone who could shake it like that in front of an audience was probably good in bed, and I wanted to remember who my options were!” She smirked as Kurt tried to cover his embarrassment by focusing very intently on adjusting the strap of his satchel.

“Right, well, um, thank you?” Kurt was a bit flustered but he forced himself to make eye contact with Lauren. She just snorted as she set her bags down and settled into her chair at her desk, looking up at him over her glasses.

“It’s ok Hummel, you may have had the best moves but I knew which team you played for and I respect that.” Kurt was blushing again. “I assume that’s not why you’re here today though,” she continued, “seeing as how I’ve been here for three years and haven’t ever seen you before.”

“Yes, I mean no. I mean, actually I work here too, on the 18th floor, in Style,” Kurt explained hurriedly. “I’m actually here because I’ve drawn a secret pal on this floor and I need to deliver something.”

“Is that so?” Lauren seemed interested. “I never do those, but it’s funny watching everybody try to figure out who is giving them stuff. I don’t know why they try, this company is so big it’s not like there is a realistic possibility of ever figuring it out. Last year one of the interns on that row was so sure it was a fellow from over there,” Lauren was pointing vaguely around the room, “and she was basically throwing herself at him for a month. But it wasn’t him at all, it was actually some nerd from Web Layout and when he revealed himself she was so embarrassed she quit.” Lauren was giggling so hard that Kurt was glad she hadn’t been drinking her coffee, because if she had it probably would have been coming out her nose by now.

Lauren lowered her voice conspiratorially. “I pretty much know everything that goes down on this floor. So if you need an insider here, count me in.”

Kurt grinned, delighted that he hadn’t even had to ask. “Thank you! I’m sure I will be recruiting you to help me with some stealthy gift deliveries in the coming weeks.”

Lauren spread her arms to the side and tipped her head forward as if bowing, and then leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms across her chest, and looked very pleased with herself.

“Well,” Kurt continued, “at the moment I just need to deliver a gift card. I suppose you can tell me where to find Blaine Anderson’s desk?”

Lauren nodded “Oh yeah, Blaine is pretty new, so it’s all the way down this row to the back. It’s like the third one from the corner. Newbies don’t always have nameplates but there should at least be a paper tacked up on the outside of the cubicle.”

Kurt nodded his thanks and made his way down the designated row. Sure enough, precisely three cubicles from the end he found it: the cubicle of Blaine Anderson. He set the envelope with the gift card on the computer keyboard, and took a quick glance around to see if he could learn anything about this Blaine woman he was supposed to buy presents for. It was 8:45 now and people were starting to fill the cubicles around him so he knew he didn’t have much time. It’s very tidy, Kurt thought to himself. There was a row of file folders which each had different colored labels on them. Very organized too, he noted. On the bulletin board, among the menus of a dozen local takeout places, he noticed a photo of an attractive, dark-haired man. A spouse? Boyfriend? That would be something to find out. He made a mental note to ask Lauren about it later. But for now needed to get out of here and back down to his own office. He straightened his vest and adjusted the strap of his bag as he hurried back toward the elevators.

“Hey, thanks Lauren” Kurt waved to her as he pushed the button for the elevator to go to his own floor.

“I’m referred to as Zizes, Hummel,” Lauren spat back with a wink as the doors opened and Kurt stepped in.

 


	3. Incoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaine soulmate AU.  
> Kurt and Blaine both work at the New York Times. Kurt drew Blaine’s name in a massive secret pals exchange, but they have never met before and he thinks the name Blaine is female.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most chapters rated PG, others will be noted.
> 
> Thanks to my new beta Debbi ( princewarblersteenagedream.tumblr.com ) for joining the project and sharing my links!

The rule was that each person was supposed to give one gift to their secret pal each week. Of course everyone started every week with good intentions, but people get busy and most of them would end up forgetting about it until the last minute. This meant that three-quarters of the secret pal gifts got delivered on Fridays, and there was a disproportionate number of gift cards and boxes of candy and other quick generic gifts passed around in the last few hours before quitting time. Kurt Hummel, however, had never been one to wait until the last minute; nor was he one to settle for generic or quick. Yes, he had been known to give gift cards and there had been sweets a few times, but they were always classy and carefully personalized for the intended recipient.

True to form, Kurt had delivered his first secret pal gift early in the week. He knew that someone would have drawn his name too, but he did not really expect to get anything for a couple of days still. So he was pleasantly surprised when he reached his cubicle after lunch on Wednesday and found a wide red box with a narrow gold ribbon around it sitting on his desk. On the corner of the box were small embossed letters indicating a local sweet shop, and tucked into the ribbon was a note written in careful block letters: _from your secret pal_. Kurt was tickled to have gotten something so early in the week. It made him feel special to know that whoever was giving to him hadn’t forgotten or waited until the last minute. He supposed that at twenty-six years old he was supposed to be mature enough to stay calm over something like a secret pal gift, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit giddy as he slid off the ribbon and lifted the lid to reveal a dozen chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Kurt was delighted. So maybe chocolate-dipped fruit was a little generic, at least in being something that most everyone would like. But it wasn’t cheap, it wasn’t from a chain store, and it wasn’t on Friday. This was a classy secret pal right here!

Kurt had just begun to wrap his tongue around the first strawberry when his phone rang. With a huff he set the strawberry back in the box.

“Hello?”

“Kurt!” Rachel Berry’s voice had an annoying sing-songy quality when she got excited, and Kurt found it annoying.

“This had better be important,” he snapped in irritation, “I do actually have work to do here you know.

“Oh this is important Kurt!”

“Good, because you are also interrupting the beginning of a beautiful relationship with a box of chocolate-dipped strawberries from my secret pal,” he said tauntingly. She’d be jealous of that, it might make her get to the point faster.

“Well you know how I got that small-but-important part in _Anything Goes_ ,” she paused, so Kurt made some um-hmmming noises. “Well there’s this girl I work with there, and her sister’s boyfriend’s best friend’s roommate works backstage on _South Pacific_. Isn’t that fantastic?!”

“Your friend’s cousin’s what?” Kurt asked, and immediately regretted it.

“No, my friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s best friend’s roommate, weren’t you paying attention Kurt? He works on the show and he got me a couple of tickets!” He knew she was bouncing now, he could hear it in her voice.

“I fail to see why your entertainment plans make you think that you should interrupt me at work, Rachel. I am a busy person.” Kurt said pointedly.

“Because they are tickets for _us_ silly! For you and me! This Sunday we are going to the matinee! Why aren’t you excited?” Oh, she was going to pout now.

“Because I couldn’t follow where you were going with all of this Rachel!” Kurt explained with some exasperation. Then his voice softened. “But I would love to go with you, it sounds fun. I haven’t been to a show in ages.”

“I know,” she replied smugly. “That’s why I invited you. We used to go all the time when we were roommates, but ever since you moved into Manhattan I feel like we don’t see each other anymore…” her voice tailed off in a moment of nostalgia for their college days together in Bushwick. “So, anyway, Sunday: do we have a date?” She finished excitedly.

“It’s a date, Rachel,” Kurt confirmed, holding the phone away from his ear for a minute as she squealed. “Now I really do have to work, ok? I’ll see you Sunday.”

“Bye Kurt!”

“Bye Rachel.”

Kurt set down the phone and returned to his neglected strawberry. He let himself enjoy it fully before carefully putting the lid back on the box, setting it aside for later, and forcing himself to focus on the piece he was supposed to be writing about the latest trends in scarves.

He smiled and hummed to himself as he worked. After all, Kurt Hummel was having a pretty good week.


	4. Across a Crowded Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaine soulmate AU.  
> Kurt and Blaine both work at the New York Times. Kurt drew Blaine’s name in a massive secret pals exchange, but they have never met before and he thinks the name Blaine is female.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific. You can hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSyCiIkOde8
> 
> I may have also been a tiny bit inspired by this scene from the show http://darrennchris.tumblr.com/post/95185156132/otp-challenge-3-7-moments
> 
> Most chapters rated PG, others will be noted.
> 
> This whole series (as well as my other short fics) are also posted at my tumblr http://gingerfic.tumblr.com/

Kurt actually couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun. He went to lots of social functions for work, but he was always _working_ when he was there and he rarely relaxed at all. But Rachel had insisted that today there was no work allowed. No doing it. No talking about it. No work of any kind at all. Although he had told her she was being ridiculous, Kurt had to admit that it was a really good idea. They had met for lunch before the show, then gone to the matinee of _South Pacific_ (which had been amazing--the songs were taking turns running around in his head), and now they were tucked in a corner booth at Bean Around the World with steaming mugs of expensive (but delicious and socially-responsible) organic, fair-trade hot cocoa. Kurt had even given in to the temptation of getting whipped cream and sprinkles on top of his.

Rachel had recently broken up with Ethan, who apparently had not appreciated the importance of her career. Or maybe it was more because he complained about how long she spent in the shower, how loudly (and frequently) she did her vocal warm-ups, or the way she would write notes instead of talking to anyone when she had a performance coming up (even if she just had a small role--and she always just had small roles). Obviously that kind of negative energy could not be tolerated by a rising star like Rachel Berry.

Rachel was going on and on about how Ethan had really been all wrong for her, but it was ok because now she had more personal experiences to draw on as a dramatic actress, and Kurt was starting to tune her out because he had heard almost exactly the same speech from her a half dozen times in the last eight years. Rachel was married to her ambition, and unless she could find a man who was willing to always be in second place, she wasn’t going to settle down anytime soon.

Kurt’s head was full of the swelling music from the show, and as Rachel’s voice rose and fell in the background of his mental concert he let his eyes wander around the room a little. It was the words of “Some Enchanted Evening” that were playing in his mind at the moment.

_Some enchanted evening_   
_You may see a stranger_   
_You may see a stranger across a crowded room_   
_And somehow you know_   
_You know even then_   
_That somehow you’ll see her again and again_

Kurt’s hand was gently waving back and forth by his knee, keeping time with the music in his head, when his gaze landed on a man standing in line at the counter and he paused. The man wasn’t very tall but he was very well-dressed. His black hair was carefully styled but still revealed a gentle wave, and a small curl just behind his left ear seemed to have escaped the product that obviously was keeping the rest in control. He could only see the man’s profile, but even from this angle Kurt could see that the man flashed a grin at the barista when she handed him his cup, and as the man turned around from the counter and his full face came into view Kurt realized he was holding his breath.

_He’s gorgeous. Like my very own version of Montgomery Clift._

Kurt was definitely staring now, and as the man adjusted his scarf on his way to the door he happened to glance up and his eyes met Kurt’s for just a moment. Kurt froze.

The man smiled ever so slightly, and tipped his head toward Kurt with, wait, was that a wink?! It happened so fast that Kurt wasn’t sure if he had seen it or not, but the man had already turned and stepped out the front door before Kurt had a chance to process what had happened. He sat there stunned, staring at the place where “Montgomery” had just been.

“Kurt, are you even listening to me?” Rachel’s voice brought him back to his own table.

“What? I’m sorry, I guess I’m just tired and I zoned out a little,” Kurt covered hastily, his eyes reluctantly returning to focus on Rachel.

“I was saying that I miss the days when we were roommates. I mean we had some good catfights--as all the true divas do,” Kurt was nodding along. “But in the long run we were still friends, and we always supported each other,” she finished.

“We lived together for five years Rachel. The Bushwick years were good to us, and it worked well at the time, but eventually everybody moves on.”

“I know, you had a job in the city and late hours and the commute was killing you,” Rachel recited the reasons Kurt had given three years ago when he’d gotten the studio apartment in Manhattan. She had moved in with a couple of other girls who were looking for their big Broadway breaks, and although they apparently fought regularly (especially the several times a year when they were up against each other at an audition), they got along well enough. “None of the girls can cook as well as you do though Kurt,” Rachel added with a sniff. “But at least they are both vegetarian so I don’t have to worry about cross-contamination in the fridge so much.”

“Ha, ha,” Kurt said with a tinge of sarcasm. He was still a bit distracted by the man he had just seen, but his attention was back on Rachel now. “I’m sorry my need for animal protein offends you.”

Rachel made a face at him. Kurt made a face back, and they both started to giggle in the way that only old friends who really know each other can. It was Kurt who regained his composure first.

“Well, thank you for the lovely date Miss Berry,” he said with a grand bow as he stood and began gathering up his scarf and gloves.

“It was my pleasure Mister Hummel,” Rachel responded with a curtsey as she pulled on her own coat and hat. “Let’s not wait so long until the next time.”

He proffered his elbow with a smile. She slipped her hand around his arm, and they both left the coffeehouse feeling warm, relaxed, and happy.

* * * * *

Kurt woke up Monday morning feeling refreshed. He often worked on weekends, but Rachel’s forced holiday (and the fact that his dreams had been full of musicals and happily ever afters) had left him in good spirits. He hummed and sang to himself and even danced around the apartment a bit as he got ready for the day.

Kurt had taken the tiny apartment because it was walking distance from the NYT Building, and as a health-conscious person Kurt wanted the exercise even if it was cold. Besides, cold weather was a good excuse for layers and accessorizing, and Kurt had a way with a scarf. Still, by the time he arrived at work that January morning his cheeks were flushed from the cold and the exertion of his walk. Kurt glanced up at the big clock on the wall as he headed toward the elevators. 8:51 am. He had grabbed a coffee at Bean Around the World on his way over and now he was almost late. The traffic jam at the elevators was inevitable at this point, but as much as Kurt hated being jostled in crowds, he hated being late even more, so he pushed his way into the nearest elevator and flashed a quick smile at the people he was pressed into. He was the last person into that elevator, and as the doors began to close he glanced up and across the lobby at the elevator that was rapidly filling over there. For the second time in twelve hours he froze as his eyes connected with the bright eyes of the dark-haired man from the coffeehouse. Then the elevator doors closed.


	5. The Accomplice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaine soulmate AU. Kurt and Blaine both work at the New York Times. Kurt drew Blaine’s name, but he thinks the name Blaine is female. Meanwhile, he’s started noticing a handsome stranger at work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the plot bunnies for bringing me Lauren Zizes. She is so much fun to write. :)
> 
> Most chapters rated PG, others will be noted.

Kurt sat at his desk, but his mind was not on his work. As distracting as it had been to see Montgomery in the coffeehouse--yes Kurt was thinking of that stunning dark-haired man as “Montgomery” now--it was even worse to see him in the NYT Building. It had only been a moment, but Kurt was sure it was him. And Montgomery had flirted with him, at least, Kurt thought he had...there _had_ been a wink, hadn’t there? Straight men didn’t wink at other men, right? Ugh, maybe Kurt’s loneliness was giving him delusions again. He thought he’d gotten over that in high school.

Maybe he was making something out of nothing. Maybe. If it had only been the coffeehouse he might have been able to brush it off as just another fleeting moment of ‘what if...’ But now that he knew that Montgomery worked in the same building as he did, it suddenly felt possible to find him. It felt important to find him, in fact. Kurt remembered the shiver that had run down his spine and left him tingling when they’d made eye-contact at the elevators. His heartbeat sped up a little again just thinking about it. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remember the details of Montgomery’s face.

Kurt was startled back to reality by a loud sigh, and then startled again to realize that he had been the one who made it. He blushed and looked around the neighboring cubicles to see if anyone had noticed him, and he was relieved that it looked like no one had.

Well, daydreams were nice, but Kurt had work to do. It was time to do a little reconnaissance on Blaine Anderson so that he could decide what this week’s gift for her would be. He took a moment to think over what he knew so far. He had looked over her desk and noticed that she kept her space tidy and organized, so she was probably careful and fastidious. Kurt found that appealing in a person. She also had all those take-out menus on her bulletin board, so either she worked long hours or she didn’t cook...or maybe she just liked variety. He had noticed menus for Indian, Thai, and Lebanese places alongside the more familiar sandwich shops and pasta places. Kurt considered himself somewhat of a foodie, but even he had never had Lebanese cuisine. Hmmmm. Well _there_ was something new to try.

Oh, and of course there was the picture too. He’d have to ask Laur...Zizes about that. He pulled out the employee directory and skimmed down the last page for a minute, then punched in the extension.

“Politics, Zizes speaking, how may I direct your call?”

“Hi,” he started. “This is…”

“Hummel!” she interrupted cheerily. Even people who hadn’t seen him in years could recognize his voice. He was used to it.

“How do you feel about trying Lebanese food for lunch today?”

“I’m in if you’re buying.”

“Of course. I’ll see you at noon.”

Kurt felt confident that Lauren Zizes was going to be a useful accomplice. Not only was she nosey enough to know everything about everyone, but she was clever enough to find it out without most people realizing how much she really knew. And she was smart enough to remember it all.

* * * * *

Kurt wasn’t entirely sold on this whole eating-with-your-fingers thing, but it wasn’t stopping him from enjoying the food. He and Lauren had spent the first forty minutes chatting about people they had known in high school and what everyone was up to now, but eventually Kurt brought the conversation around to the reason he had instigated this lunch meeting.

“Can you tell me some things about Blaine Anderson that could help me with picking appropriate secret pal gifts?” he asked as he pulled a small notebook from his pocket.

Lauren licked off her fingers one by one before leaning forward with wide eyes and whispering conspiratorially “Blaine likes piña coladas, getting caught in the rain, the feel of the ocean, and the taste of champagne…” she was marking each one off on her fingers as she spoke.

Kurt had been writing everything down in his notebook until he got to the ocean and realized she was teasing him.

“Lauren!” he began

“Zizes!” she retorted, or tried to retort...mostly it just turned into a snort because she was trying so hard to stifle her laughter and pretend to be innocent and serious.

“Zizes, I just bought you lunch in exchange for some actual useful information here. Now spill!”

It took Lauren a couple of minutes to regain her composure.

“Oh you are so gullible Hummel,” she said, wheezing slightly as she caught her breath.

“Not really.”

“Gullibility is a problematic trait in a reporter, don’t you think?” she teased.

“I write about fashion, Zizes. Trends either work or they don’t. There’s nothing to be gullible about. It’s not like politics where everyone makes a career of lying about everything.”

“Touché, Hummel. Touché,” she admitted.

“So tell me about Blaine,” Kurt reminded, bringing her back to the reason for their meeting.

“Well, Blaine is a sharp cookie. Studied overseas or something and got into politics that way I guess. Really nice person, but not somebody who takes crap from anyone either. Not unlike moi!” She paused for a moment to point to herself with a self-congratulatory smile before continuing.

“I think Blaine is a real soft romantic type, although you might not know it at first. I mean on our floor that kind of thing usually comes out in passionate social justice opinion pieces, but in private conversations it shows through sometimes, you know? Just an open-hearted kindness that has a way of making other people feel important. Like the other day a bunch of us got sushi together, and we were all talking, and Blaine was telling me about this nonprofit down at one of the animal shelters…”

“Do you know if Blaine has a boyfriend?” Kurt interrupted, trying to keep the conversation on point.

“Nope!”

“You don’t know? Or there’s no boyfriend? Because I saw a picture when I was dropping off the secret pal gift last time, and since there was only the one I thought…”

Lauren cut him off “Nope. The picture is Blaine’s older brother. He’s some two-bit actor that nobody’s heard of, but I guess they’re close because he’s visited twice and Blaine has only been here a few months.”

“Oh, well that’s helpful. I was thinking over some gift ideas but some of them might be construed as romantic, and I don’t want to make anything awkward… Do you think…” he paused with the question half-asked, not really sure how to finish it. He had thought of some gifts that would be very sweet, and he was glad there wasn’t a boyfriend to make jealous, but he also didn’t want to end up with a scenario where Blaine thought that the secret pal gifts were actually romantic advances. Obviously it would be awkward later on if she did.

“Do you think that will be a problem for Blaine?” he finally asked.

Lauren chortled. “Not at all, I think Blaine is precisely the type of person that you could give potentially romantic types of gifts to without anything getting _weird_.” The way she said _weird_ made Kurt pause and wait for her to continue with the thought, but she didn’t. So he just nodded.

“Ok. Good to know. Thank you.” He glanced at his watch. “We should head back, I have deadlines…”

“You’re too responsible and serious and stuffy, you know that Hummel?” Lauren said with an affectionate smile as she shrugged on her coat.

“I’m aware, thank you.”

* * * * *

Kurt and Lauren’s bantering conversation had continued as they walked back to the NYT Building and was still going now as they stood in the lobby waiting for the elevator. Kurt kept laughing, in spite of himself, and he was so wrapped up in his conversation with Lauren that he didn’t see the man he called “Montgomery” getting off one of the other elevators behind them. He was not aware that the man saw him talking with Lauren, and he was definitely not aware that the man overheard Lauren’s loud voice say “good one, Hummel!” as she clapped him on the back after a particularly sassy retort.

But the dark-haired man did all those things. And then he smiled to himself.


	6. Invitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Klaine soulmate AU. Kurt and Blaine both work at the New York Times. Kurt drew Blaine’s name, but he thinks the name Blaine is female. Meanwhile, he’s started noticing a handsome stranger at work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most chapters rated PG, others will be noted.

Kurt had delivered the home spa basket to Blaine’s desk that morning before work. He had picked out the bath bombs, sugar scrub, loofah, and scented candles each separately and put them together with an impeccable bow and a little note. He was a little bit proud of himself for this one. Kurt Hummel didn’t do prepackaged; he did personalized. Kurt knew that he was going to have to start taking things up there at different times of day though if he didn’t want to be caught: two weeks in a row of before-work deliveries was already too close to establishing a pattern. He had been lucky to avoid running into Blaine thus far, but he knew it was only a matter of time before she would come in early too. In the meantime, Kurt was now getting settled into his own to do list for the day. He had just begun organizing his notes on wintertime fashion faux pas when a hand appeared over the wall of his cubicle.

“Hey Kurt,” it was his editor, Nathan Wilder.

“Good morning sir, what can I do for you?” Kurt asked.

“So there’s this Costume Gala thing this weekend,” he started. Kurt knew about the gala. It was a fashion showcase mixed with a charity fundraiser. All the big designers would be there, as well as philanthropists, and basically anyone who was anyone in the public eye. It was excuse to dress in an over-the-top manner, eat complicated hors d'oeuvres, drink expensive wine, and schmooze with the who’s who of the city. It was also thousands of dollars per ticket--even for the press--which was why Kurt had never considered going.

His boss continued “I was going to send Shannon because she’s gone before and knows the ropes for this gig, but her mother is in the hospital or something.” He rolled his eyes as though indicating that he thought people should plan the timing of their health crises so that they wouldn’t conflict with important social events. “So I need this department’s rising young star.”

Kurt gave him a quizzical look.

“You, Kurt!” Nathan said with a gleam in his eye. “Who did you think I meant? Of course it’s you. Assuming you want to go that is. You _do_ want to go don’t you?”

Kurt nearly choked as his eyes flew wide and he nodded eagerly. Did he want to go? He had literally dreamed about being able to go to the Costume Gala after he’d seen the photos and heard the stories from the last few years. It was _the_ event of the season. The people that went to these events were usually willing to push the envelope a little bit, but when it was for charity they often went all-out and things could really get crazy.

“I know it’s short notice, but you’re going to need to  wear something outrageous and spectacular for this. Do you think you can pull something together fast enough?” Nathan asked with a twinkle in his eye. He had known Kurt for seven years; he had no doubts about his abilities when it came to clothes.

“Absolutely sir!” Kurt beamed.

* * * * *

For the rest of the day Kurt was on fire. He was able to pull together the faux pas article in just a few hours and got it submitted to the editor shortly after lunch. Then he gave himself permission to spend the afternoon focusing on creating the perfect outfit--costume--for the gala. He mentally went through his closet, contemplating which pieces he could use and how to alter or accessorize them so that he wouldn’t have to shoot six months’ pay on a single outfit. He smiled wryly, wishing that he could spend that much for this, but he did still have to eat so he knew he’d better not.

Kurt was so wrapped up in his thoughts and plans and excitement that he hardly noticed the hours ticking by and was mildly surprised when he noticed his co-workers all leaving at the end of the day. Kurt gathered up his things and was headed for the door when the floor receptionist called to him.

“Hey Kurt.”

“Hi Maggie,” he greeted her, veering toward her desk rather than continuing toward the elevators. “What’s going on?”

“Do you have a second? Someone dropped something off for you today but you looked like you were really concentrating on your work so I didn’t want to interrupt you with it.” She held up a small, thin package wrapped in tissue paper.

Kurt collected it from her and smiled when he turned it over and saw the tag with those careful block letters: _from your secret pal_.

“Thanks Maggie!” he said. “You’re right, I don’t deal well with interruptions when I am _in the zone_.” He made air quotes with his fingers, knowing it was cheesy but not caring because he was in such a good mood.

“Are you going to open it?” Maggie asked excitedly. “One of my favorite things about secret pal season here is getting to see everybody else’s presents too.”

“Sure, why not,” Kurt said as he carefully slipped his finger between the layers of paper and lifted the tape. He delicately pulled back the paper to reveal something made of steel gray fabric. As he lifted it from the paper he saw that it was a scarf. He and Maggie spoke at the same time.

“God, it feels like cashmere,” he breathed.

“That’s really lovely,” she said. “I think you lucked out with your secret pal this year.”

Kurt nodded. “Yeah, I think I did.”

_It’s like they know me._ He thought happily. _Things just keep getting better and better._


	7. The Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t describe clothing very often, in spite of the fact that I actually was a professional seamstress and costumer and know clothes pretty well. I just don’t find it very interesting to read about them. But this chapter is an exception because, well, clothes are basically the whole point of the event!
> 
> The song lyrics Kurt thinks of are from “Hello, I love you” by The Doors.
> 
> Most chapters rated PG, others will be noted

The night of the Costume Gala was cold, but that didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of any of the attendees, least of all Kurt Hummel. He was practically vibrating with excitement, and was producing quite enough heat to keep himself warm on the way to the event.

Kurt had thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to dress to the nines without anyone looking at him oddly or saying that he had gone too far. His suit was silver, in a slender cut that he had tailored to fit his body perfectly. He left the jacket open, showing his black cravat tie and snug vest of raw silk with a deep texture and sheen that showed both silver and black, depending on how he moved. He wore a fabulous hat of course: a top hat adorned with a sprig of grey and black feathers that both shot up and curled down over the brim on the side. Because he was there to work, Kurt had brought his press badge; but because of the type of event it was, he (like the other writers present) kept the badge in his pocket.

Kurt spent the first hour moving around the room in the background, noticing costumes and periodically jotting things in his pocket-sized notebook. After the showcase portion of the evening he would know which attendees to interview about their costume inspirations and designer choices. But right now it was time for the showcase. He walked confidently to the usher who was guarding the reserved seating next to the runway, and showed him the press badge from his pocket.

“I’m Kurt Hummel, from the New York Times. I believe there is a seat reserved for me?” The usher looked back and forth between Kurt’s face and the photo on the badge before unclipping the velvet divider rope from its pole and pointing Kurt toward the far side of the cordoned-off area.

“Press goes up there, at the end” he said with a curt nod. “It’s not really reserved for specific people though, just pick a seat somewhere behind that line.”

Kurt smiled, re-pocketed his badge, and made his way to a seat. The press section was behind the VIP area, and consisted of about thirty chairs all in one long row on a riser. Kurt wasn’t complaining though, because with the riser he would be able to see everything, even with several rows of other people  in front of him. As other journalists settled into the seats around him, adjusting their accessories and getting out their own notebooks, Kurt took a moment to just absorb the sensory-overload that was the Costume Gala. The bright multi-colored lighting, the smells of colognes mingling with those of wine and chocolate, and the rustle and swish of yards and yards of satins, silks, chiffons, and feathers. He had truly never experienced anything like it.

Kurt adjusted his vest and smoothed down the arms of his jacket, then paused as his he caught sight of something unexpected: Montgomery was here! He was talking with the usher at the far end of the press box. Why was he here? But more importantly, what was he wearing? At first Kurt was a little disappointed because it looked as though his suit was just a plain tuxedo. Who wore a plain tuxedo to the Costume Gala? But then Montgomery shifted his stance and the bright lights from the runway caught a glimmer of blue from the suit. Kurt looked more carefully and realized that the fabric actually had a slight shimmer. It was a deep navy blue--not quite black--and had metallic threads woven throughout. It reminded Kurt of the night sky. He was impressed: the suit was classic yet edgy, and both subtle and eye-catching.

Kurt’s first instinct was to go talk to him, but it was too late for that because the showcase was about to begin and Kurt had work to do. Now that he knew he was here though, Kurt promised himself that he would find him and talk to him later in the evening.

* * * * *

After the showcase Kurt had to get some interviews. This was a major part of why the paper had paid for his ticket, after all. He spent the next two hours working the room, talking to people with reputations so big he was almost flattered that they would talk to him at all (and knowing that they wouldn’t have bothered if not for the press badge he had to keep flashing). As he asked each person about how they chose designers and took notes about their accessories he kept noticing that it was difficult to focus on the fashions because he kept looking for someone. Of course there were dozens of celebrities and designers that would be good to interview, but that wasn’t who he was looking for… No, it was Montgomery. That’s who he was looking for. And that’s who he couldn’t find.

* * * * *

It was nearly the end of the evening, and Kurt was exhausted but still excited and running on adrenaline. The DJ had been slowing things down for a while, and a few couples were dancing. The crowd had begun to thin as people left, so the room was not as loud as it had been earlier, and there was even an almost romantic feel to it. Kurt was frustrated that he hadn’t managed to connect with Montgomery (or learn his real name), but it still had been an amazing night. He had interviewed one of his fashion icons, as well as enough other people to write a great article about the event. Kurt was so lost in his own thoughts that he jumped when he heard a soft, smooth voice right behind him.

“Hello, stranger.”

Kurt spun around and found himself almost nose to nose with Montgomery. He inhaled sharply as his eyes again met the eyes he had been longing for, and which he could finally see were honey-colored and framed by long thick lashes.

“Hello,” he said again, his voice still soft. “I saw you earlier tonight, and I’ve been trying to find you for a while now… I was wondering if maybe you would dance with me.”

“I, I...yes.” Kurt nodded awkwardly and held out his hand. Montgomery took it with a smile and led him onto the dance floor. In the moment their hands touched Kurt felt sparks in his fingers and up his arm: something like an electrical shock...except good. He’d been attracted to people before of course. He’d been with people before. But he’d never felt quite like this. The thought struck him that maybe this was what people meant when they talked about just knowing that they were meant to be with someone.   

Kurt felt the other man’s arms slide around his shoulder and side, and automatically he mirrored him. They began to slowly turn and sway with the music, their feet almost on top of each other and their faces nearly touching. _It should feel awkward to slow dance with a stranger_ , Kurt thought. _But it doesn’t._ He was as comfortable with this man as he had ever been with anyone. Maybe more comfortable than he had been with anyone else. He had spent all week--had it really only been a week?--thinking about this man. He didn’t even know his name, and yet being by him and dancing cheek to cheek with him felt wonderfully, beautifully, perfectly right.

“I had hoped you might be here,” the other man whispered, his breath warming Kurt’s ear.

“I saw you earlier,” Kurt responded, “and I’m glad you found me. I’ve been hoping to talk to you ever since…” Kurt hesitated, wondering how much he should admit.

“...since the coffeehouse?”

“Yes,” Kurt breathed, relieved that Montgomery seemed to be as eager as he himself felt. “You...you winked at me.”

“Yes I did.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know exactly. I guess I could say it was instinct. I saw you there, I saw you seeing me, and I just wanted you to remember me.”

_Oh!_ Kurt smiled into the other man’s shoulder. “I definitely remembered.”

They fell back into silence as they continued to dance. Kurt wanted to talk to him--talk with him--but he wasn’t sure what to say or where to begin.

_Hello, I love you, won’t you tell me your name?_ Kurt couldn’t help smiling as the lyrics of the old song drifted through his mind. He had always thought they were so strange, who thinks of love without even knowing someone’s name yet… and yet here he was dancing so, so close to someone he’d only just met but somehow felt as if he’d known forever. And how do you say that to someone anyway without sounding like a lunatic? So Kurt didn’t speak; he just waited.

He hoped that the right words or phrase would come to him as they so often did when he wrote. But they didn’t.

Kurt hoped that maybe Montgomery would say something first, because then he wouldn’t have to figure out how to begin. But he didn’t.

And in the end Kurt waited too long, because as the song came to a close Montgomery glanced at his watch and gasped “I have to run or I will miss the last train. I’m so sorry.” Kurt felt the light press of a hurried kiss on his cheek before he stood there, stunned, as the beautiful man in blue literally ran for the door.


	8. Snapshots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some more Zizes! Yay!  
> And folks, thanks for your patience, it's about to get exciting...and hold on to your hats because in the next chapter there will be DRAMA!

It had been three days and Kurt wasn’t sure if his feet had touched the ground yet. The Gala had been everything Kurt could have imagined and then some, but in spite of that his memories almost all revolved around the last few minutes of the evening.

Had he dreamed it? He knew he hadn’t, and yet it had all been so surreal that some part of his brain kept trying to tell him that it had been a dream. That he hadn’t really met a beautiful man at a party. That he hadn’t danced with him. That he hadn’t been _kissed_ by him. But also that he hadn’t stood in the middle of the floor in confusion as that man ran away from him. That beautiful, strange man whose name he somehow still did not know.

All Kurt really knew about Montgomery was that they worked in the same building (along with about 1500 other people), and that made it complicated. He _had_ been at the Costume Gala, and Kurt briefly thought that maybe he could use that information to help narrow the search. There couldn’t be very many departments who would pay to send someone to that event. (The only department that definitely would always send someone to the gala was Style--Kurt’s department--and obviously Kurt had been the one to go for them.)

On the other hand, there was also the possibility that Montgomery hadn’t been there in a professional capacity. Just because he worked for the paper didn’t mean he was _working_ at the Gala. He hadn’t actually been _in_ the press section after all, he had just been talking with the usher at the end. Maybe he had connections somewhere? Kurt had been around long enough to know that simple nepotism was responsible for a significant portion of what happened in the city.

Kurt shook his head to clear his thoughts. This line of thinking wasn’t going to get him anywhere and he knew it. He had work to do.

* * * * *

“Well hello Hummel, what brings you up here in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon?”

“Hello Zizes,” Kurt smiled at her. “I’m looking to leave a secret pal present. Do you know if Blaine is here?”

“Usually is. Quite the workaholic that one.”

“So no sneaking it in right now,” Kurt verified. Zizes nodded. “Well can I get you to pass it along for me then?” he asked, holding up a gift bag.

“I don’t know Hummel, what is it that you want me to pass along?! I may forget and keep it for myself!”

Kurt grinned and held up a second bag. “There’s something in it for you if you will,” he winked as he held it out to her.

Her eyes widened. “Oooo give it here, let me see!” She grabbed the bag from him and then set it daintily in her lap as she reached a hand inside to rummage through the contents. “Wine and chocolate?” she asked incredulously, looking back up at him. “Is this what Blaine gets too?”

Kurt nodded. “It’s hump day Zizes; second only to Friday,” he explained with a hint of condescension. “Everyone deserves to kick back with a little wine and chocolate on hump day.”

“Blaine has been loving your gifts Kurt.” She told him with a knowing look. “You really know the way to someone’s heart. If everyone gives gifts the way you do, I may have to join this party next year after all.”

“I’m afraid that I am somewhat exceptional in my gift-giving prowess, Zizes. You might end up with a total dud,” Kurt told her with a smirk.

“Perhaps I can find a way to rig it so that you’re my secret pal,” she retorted.

“Right, with nearly a thousand participants, Zizes? You may be good but you’re not that good.”

“Do you doubt my talents Hummel?” She asked in feigned astonishment. “This makes me question the entire basis of our friendship!”

“Who said we were friends?!” Kurt shot back with a wink.

“Hummel, we are friends because I say we’re friends. And because you need me,” Zizes said in a more serious tone. “You work too hard and you don’t relax enough, and spending time with me is good for your mental health.”

Kurt’s sassy look softened into a genuine smile. “You’re right, Zizes. I do, and it is.”

“Of course I’m right Hummel,” she said, with her usual snark returning as a gleam in her eye. “I’m always right! Now go away and write or whatever they pay you for. I have work to do here.”

* * * * *

On Thursday morning Kurt was running late. Not _really_ late, (it was 9:00 am exactly when he walked in the front doors), but for someone who liked to be early it felt pretty late. One of the reasons that Kurt liked to be early was so that the elevators were not so crowded, and ironically running late gave him that same benefit. He was distracted and rushed as he slipped between a pair of elevator doors that were just beginning to close. He hardly glanced up as he popped the ‘18’ button with his thumb and adjusted the shoulder strap of his satchel.

“Hey!”

Kurt’s head snapped up. That voice was familiar. _Oh. So is that face._

“Hi!” Kurt replied, unsure of the proper protocol for greeting someone whose name you don’t know and who was flirty and forward with you but then ran away.

“Look, I’m really sorry about the other night,” he said, running his fingers through his hair and jostling his curls (hair that Kurt suddenly had an overwhelming desire to run his own hands through). “I wasn’t lying though, I live out in Queens and the last train leaves at 11:40 pm. I barely made it. I’m really sorry I ran out like that though. You probably think I’m crazy or really rude or... Anyway…” he cleared his throat awkwardly, “I’m really sorry…” he trailed off.

Kurt decided not to let the awkwardness of the whole situation get in the way of what he wanted. “I used to live in Bushwick, I understand living by the train schedule,” he said sympathetically. “Maybe we can try this all again, sort of start over?”

The other man was nodding. “How about we meet for coffee after work. Is today ok?”

“At Bean Around the World, of course?” Kurt asked with a smile.

“Of course!” he was grinning too.

The elevator came to a stop at the 18th floor. “Well, this is me,” Kurt said reluctantly, nodding toward the opening door. “But I’ll see you...is 5:30 ok?”

“I’m looking forward to it!”

 


	9. Bean Around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to those who have left comments. I didn't know how amazing comments were until I got some!   
> I know I've had to slow my posting rate a little (real life is so distracting from writing), but I'm trying to post three chapters a week, and there will only be 14-15 chapters I think so it won't be long now. :)

Kurt had planned to get to the coffeehouse early that evening so that he would have enough time to get settled in and calm his nerves before Montgomery arrived, so he was frustrated when Nathan had called a last minute meeting that ended up running late. It was well past 5 when Kurt finally made it back to his cubicle to gather up his belongings. 

He was in such a rush that he almost missed the envelope laying on his keyboard. In spite of the excitement he already felt about his imminent coffee date,  he couldn’t help feeling a thrill rush through him when he saw the familiar block lettering on the envelope.  _ From your secret pal. _ He grabbed it and opened it as he walked toward the elevator. 

The envelope contained a single piece of paper. Kurt unfolded it to find a gift certificate for a massage at a nearby spa.  _ Apparently Zizes isn’t the only one who thinks I need to relax, _ he thought wryly as the elevator descended. He happily tucked the paper into his satchel. This might actually be better than wine and chocolate.

* * * * *

Kurt was so intent on his destination as he hurried through the crowded sidewalk that he didn’t see him until he almost crashed into him.

“Kurt!”

“Michael! How are you?!” Kurt asked, a little breathless and completely surprised at running into his ex-boyfriend on this side of the continent.

“I’m great. I’m just in town for a few days, but would love to get coffee and catch up a bit…”

“Coffee!” Kurt gasped. “I’m actually late for a coffee date right now, will you walk with me?”

“Sure.” Michael fell easily into step beside him. They may have been broken up for over a year but their bodies remembered each other. “So, is he cute?”

“Michael!” Kurt chided.

“Oh come on, I know you Kurt. You’re obviously excited for this coffee date, and it’s too late and too casual to be an interview with a designer, so obviously it’s a guy. So I repeat, is he cute?” Michael elbowed Kurt in the ribs. Kurt bent and sidestepped to try to avoid it but Michael anticipated it and poked him with his finger instead.

Kurt flushed a little, knowing that he and Michael had too much history for him to hide much from his ex. “Yes, yes he is..”

“Well good,” Michael  beamed triumphantly. “We can’t have you moving down in the world now can we, and I am so attractive that there’s not much room for moving up…” This time it was Kurt who elbowed Michel in the ribs and they both laughed.

“So you’re taking a vacation from L.A to New York and you decided to come in January?” Kurt teased.

“Hey, L.A. doesn’t have a real winter and maybe I missed snow!” Michael retorted with a grin as they stopped in front of Bean Around the World and turned to face each other. “You’re still coming here, huh?” Michael asked.

“Well, this food critic I know told me it was the best coffee place near the office…”

“...in this entire end of the island!” Michael interrupted. “It is!” His tone softened. “I’m glad you still come here, that it doesn’t bring up bad memories or anything.”

“Hey, don’t say that,” Kurt said, reaching out to take his friend’s hand. “We had a nice time together, and then things changed and we moved on. There are no hard feelings from my end.” He smiled. “And yes, by the way, I’d love to have coffee and catch up. Can you call me tomorrow?”

“Sure thing, Kurt” Michael grinned, and leaned in for a hug. Kurt embraced him in return, then patted him on the back as they separated. 

“It’s good to see you Michael, I look forward to that coffee. I’ll talk to you tomorrow then?”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Michael smiled and walked away as Kurt turned to enter Bean Around the World.

* * * * *

Inside the coffeehouse the hazel-eyed man with dark curls sat in a window booth. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he saw them hug, and his eyebrows furrowed.

* * * * *

Kurt ordered his coffee and a scone, then glanced at his watch as he walked toward the table where he could see his date waiting. 5:32 pm. He was late but only barely. If he hadn’t run into Michael he would have been on time. He slipped into the bench opposite of the other man.

“Hi, sorry I’m a little late. I had a last-minute meeting that ran over, and then I ran into a friend on the way over here,” Kurt explained.

The other man nodded but didn’t reply, so Kurt cleared his throat and tried again. “Well, ok then, let’s try again here and start this properly this time. My name is Kurt Hummel.” He held out his hand across the table.

“Blaine Anderson,” came the reply as his hand met Kurt’s and shook it formally.

Kurt choked. The thoughts flew through his head rapidly and in total disarray.

_ Ohmygod Blaine Anderson is a man? _

_ Montgomery--my Montgomery--is Blaine Anderson? Who isn’t a girl? But isn’t Blaine a girl’s name? _

_ Wait, the man I’ve been obsessing over is my secret pal? _

_ How did I not know this? Why didn’t Zizes clue me in that Blaine was a guy? Did she think I knew? How did this never come up? _

_ Oh. My. God _ .

It was a lot to process all at once, but Blaine had continued talking so Kurt tried to keep his attention focused. 

“I confess I actually learned your name several days ago,” he explained. “Before the gala. I’m sorry, that night I was so caught up in all of it and I sorta forgot about the fact that you didn’t know my name. That’s...reeeeally awkward isn’t it. It’s a wonder you’re willing to talk to me at all at this point.”

“You knew my, what? How?” Kurt’s head wasn’t quite ready to make complete sentences yet.

“Um,” Blaine paused to gulp his coffee. He seemed to feel awkward now, like maybe he thought he’d said too much. “Well I saw you talking with Zizes the other day, and I heard her call you Hummel. And I wanted to know who you were so I looked in the staff directory and there’s only one Hummel who works for the New York Times.”

“Well we just seem to be doing everything backwards here,” Kurt chuckled, finally recovered enough from the shock that he felt able to carry on a conversation. He was pretty sure he’d be able to chalk this up as one of the weirdest things he had ever experienced (possibly as the weirdest thing he’d ever even heard of), but for the moment he was sitting across from a very attractive man who was interested in talking to him and that was something worth being mentally present for. Blaine smiled at him.

“So, Kurt, how do you know Zizes?”

* * * * * 

They ended up chatting casually for about an hour before Blaine said that he had to go. Kurt got up his courage and asked the question.

“Can I take you out to dinner?” he bit his lip. “Maybe this weekend?”

“Um,” Blaine was clearly hesitant. “I have to go out of town this weekend actually. There’s a political summit that I’m supposed to help cover down at the Capitol. I’ll be gone for several days.”

“Oh.” Kurt was a little disappointed, but he couldn’t begrudge him a business trip. “Could we plan something for when you get back?”

“I’m really busy with planning this trip right now,” Blaine hedged. “Can we touch base when I get back?”

“Sure. Sure, I understand, no problem...,” Kurt said. Obviously he’d come on too strong. He could slow down if he needed to. It seemed odd though, considering that Blaine had been the one to approach him (and kiss him--Kurt couldn’t forget that) at the Gala. But Blaine seemed a bit stressed and distracted tonight, so maybe it was just the trip. It didn’t even occur to Kurt that Mont--Blaine had seen the hug between him and Michael, that he might have totally misinterpreted what was happening there. Kurt smiled and reached out his hand to squeeze Blaine’s. “We can figure it out when you get back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, there had to be drama somewhere. The course of true love never did run smooth!


	10. Cheesecake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Zizes! Yay! (she always makes me happy)  
> And...the plot thickens!

Blaine had told Kurt that he would be out of town until Thursday, so that gave him a couple of extra days to think about what he was going to give him as his secret pal gift this week. He had mixed feelings about the whole situation. He was excited about being able to personalize the gifts for Blaine more, and he was glad to have a couple of extra days to decide on this week’s gift. On the other hand he also felt something--disappointment? loneliness?--that Blaine was gone for almost a week. He wanted to see him. God, he wanted to just look at him for hours. He wanted to talk again, and hopefully get over that awkwardness that seemed to have arisen between them. Kurt wanted to ask Blaine about his childhood, his hobbies, and his dreams and goals for the future. He wanted to be able to touch Blaine, his hand, his hair, his cheek, his lips…

The more Kurt thought about Blaine, the more he realized how little he actually knew about him. How could it be rational to obsess over someone he barely knew? No, not obsess… he just really liked contemplating those bright, hazel eyes... Imagining touching that broad chest that pulled his shirt just slightly as he moved… Remembering the warm shade of his skin and the soft curls of that carefully-controlled-yet-still-slightly-wild black hair… Holding on to the firm feel of his hand… Fantasizing about the smooth, melodic, _perfect_ sound of his incredibly sexy voice...

Ok, fine: Kurt was obsessing. But he had also thought of a perfect gift to give him this week so obviously it had been time well-spent.

* * * * *

“Hey Zizes,” Kurt said as he strode toward her desk. “I have a bone to pick with you.”

“Uh-oh,” she retorted, “which sin did you catch me in this time?”

Kurt was next to her desk now, and he leaned over it and whispered through his teeth “Why did you not tell me that Blaine Anderson was a man? Or that he was gay?! Or that he was absolutely gorgeous?” Maybe that was giving away too much but Kurt didn’t actually care at the moment.

She squinted at him over her glasses. “Wait, you didn’t know?”

“Oh my god Zizes, I thought ‘Blaine’ was a girl’s name. I had no idea.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Wow, Hummel, you are like a one man walking rom com.” She tried--unsuccessfully--to stifle a snort. “I can’t believe… you thought… oh god this is just too funny. I mean not for you right now I guess. But you have to admit it’s hilarious.”

Kurt glared at her. “You really didn’t know that I didn’t know?”

“Cross my heart, Hummel. I wouldn’t keep a thing like that from you on purpose…” she hesitated. “Well, actually, maybe I would. If I’d known how funny your reaction would be, or if I had a bet with someone or something...”

Kurt’s frown deepened.

“But I swear I didn’t Kurt! Really!” Her eyes were wide and the fact that she’d used his first name indicated her seriousness.

Kurt realized he had been holding his breath behind the pursed lips, and he slowly relaxed them and let the air out of his chest. “Well, it’s done now I suppose.”

Zizes nodded.

“I’m just going to leave this at _his_ desk now,” Kurt said, holding up a slender box that contained a blue and silver striped silk bow tie as he headed down the aisle between rows of cubicles.

“He’s out of to…”

“I know,” Kurt interrupted with a triumphant smile. “He told me, but this will be waiting for him when he returns!”

* * * * *

Kurt and Michael had arranged to go out for lunch on Wednesday. Kurt had a big deadline on Thursday, and Michael’s flight back to L.A. was on Friday morning, so Wednesday lunch it was.

They had walked back to the NYT Building afterward, and then continued together up to Kurt’s cubicle. Their conversation was easy and comfortable, as one might expect from old friends. And they were old friends. Old friends who had been lovers for a while too, but now they really were just comfortable old friends. It was the kind of friendship where they could go for months without talking, but then one day call (or go out for coffee) and easily talk for three hours. Then they could easily go for months without talking again. Some friendships are like that.

Today’s lunch together had been fun, and Kurt had enjoyed catching up with Michael and hearing about his job in L.A. He laughed heartily when Michael told him about the diva chef he had recently taken down a peg with a review that described the food as blasé and uninspired. Michael had prodded Kurt until he had finally spilled the beans about his crush on Blaine, the way they had repeatedly run into each other without learning each other’s names, and the bizarre coincidence of Blaine being Kurt’s secret pal.

“Well it sounds like maybe it’s fate, with one coincidence after another putting you two together Kurt,” Michael said with a teasing grin as they arrived at Kurt’s desk.

“I’m not that superstitious and you know it,” Kurt retorted as he took off his gloves and scarf and laid them carefully on the shelf in the corner of his cubicle.

“Sure you’re not.”

“Really! I’m not!” Kurt looked put out now, and he rapidly changed the subject. “Thanks for looking me up. It was fun today, but I really do have a ton of work to get to now.”

Michael nodded. “I’ll be on my way then. But don’t forget this,” he said, handing a small carryout box to Kurt.

“What? I thought you got that for you?”

Michael smirked. “I know you adore cheesecake, and I know that it calms you down when you’re upset or stressed. You have that big deadline tomorrow, so I bought you cheesecake. You want it and you need it. Don’t tell me no or I will force-feed it to you.”

Kurt gave him a half smile as he accepted the box. “Ok fine, you’re probably right…”

“Of course I’m right dear,” Michael replied, the endearment rolling off his tongue as naturally as if he said it every day. Sometimes old habits die hard. Kurt might have winced at the word if he had been paying attention, but he was distracted with thoughts of cheesecake and work.

“Thanks Michael,” he said, leaning in for a hug. Michael hugged him warmly in return before saying goodbye and heading to the elevators.

* * * * *

Wednesday night as he was leaving Maggie called to him from the receptionist’s desk again.

“Kurt, your secret pal left something with me again today.” She held up an envelope.

Kurt happily took it from her, and accepted the letter opener she held out with it. “Thanks Maggie.”

“Hey, I want to see what it is too, after that last one!” She grinned at him. He couldn’t help but grin back as he slipped the metal between the layers of paper and expertly sliced open the top of the envelope. “You missed one since then, actually,” he boasted. “I got a certificate for a massage!” He handed the opener back to Maggie and pulled out the card inside. His grin faded as he saw it. “Well, this week is a little simpler,” he said, holding it out so she could see.

“A groupon certificate for The Cheesecake Factory,” she read off the paper. “Oh.”

Kurt knew that Maggie had nothing to do with his disappointment in the gift. But he also knew that she could read the disappointment on his face.

“It’s not really your kind of place to go, is it,” she said sympathetically.

“Um, no, it’s not,” Kurt sighed. “Well, I guess the prior gifts were just lucky guesses. It’s not a bad gift, it’s just not really _me_.”

“Well,” Maggie said optimistically, “you don’t have to go get dinner there. You can buy two or three whole cheesecakes and bring them home and binge watch _Project Runway_ all weekend or something.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “I swear I cannot tell you anything personal because you remember all of it!”

“If I can come binge with you I promise I won’t tell anyone else your secrets!”

He laughed. “That’s not a bad idea, actually. We should do that sometime.”

* * * * *

On Thursday afternoon Kurt finished the project he had been working on all week, and submitted it to his editor. He pulled the small mirror out of his desk drawer and checked his hair and the lay of his collar. Then he went upstairs to see Blaine. He wasn’t sure what time his flight got in, or even whether he would be in the office this afternoon, but he hoped to be able to see him for at least a minute.

He could hardly contain the eagerness he felt as he stepped lightly off the elevator on the 31st floor. Zizes was busy with something but he hardly looked at her anyway because he knew where he was going.

Blaine was in his cubicle, and he happened to glance up as Kurt approached. Their eyes met for a moment over the partition but then Blaine looked down again before Kurt reached him.

“Blaine, I wasn’t sure if you’d be here today or not,” Kurt began as he reached the doorway.

“I’m here.” Blaine still didn’t look at him.

“Well, I’m glad to see you.” Kurt waited a moment but Blaine didn’t respond, so he continued speaking. “I was hoping that now that the stress of your trip is over we might be able to talk about that date…”

“I don’t know, Kurt.” Blaine was _still_ looking at his desk, and as Kurt actually looked he realized that Blaine didn’t have papers there and wasn’t writing anything. He was just staring. Then the realization hit: _he’s just avoiding looking at me._

“Blaine, is something wrong?”

“Just leave me alone, ok?”

Kurt didn’t know what else to say, and Blaine wouldn’t even look at him, so after another minute of standing there awkwardly he walked away with a sinking feeling in his gut. As he reached the receptionist’s desk he stopped and cleared his throat.

“Hummel,” Zizes acknowledged. “What can I do for you?”

“Um, I need to talk to you about Blaine,” he said quietly, stepping closer to her so that he could keep his voice low. “You probably guessed that I am interested in him,” Zizes’ eyes sparkled and she nodded and rubbed her hands together eagerly as she listened attentively. “Well I was pretty sure he was interested in me too, because of how he approached me at the gala and everything.”

“And he went out of his way to ask me about you too, Kurt. I’d say he’s interested.”

 _Oh, that was new information._ “Well we went out for coffee last week and he seemed a little distracted because of the trip, so we didn’t stay very long but I think things were ok then. But just now I went to say hello and welcome home and it was...weird. Like he’s upset with me, except I don’t know why. I mean we haven’t talked to each other since last week, so what can change in just a few days of not even seeing each other?”

“You want me to talk to him.” It wasn’t a question.

“Well, um, don’t be obvious, but can you maybe feel him out a little for me?”

“Hummel, for someone who looks so sweet and innocent, you have a way of making anything sound dirty. You realize you have a special gift there, right?”

“Lauren, please?” He would have rolled his eyes at her if he hadn’t cared so much about this.

“Yes, I will talk to him on the down low and get back to you.”

“Thank you.”


	11. Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone who had a hard time waiting over the weekend for this chapter... if it makes you feel any better, Kurt had to wait all weekend for this too.

Kurt had worried and fretted all weekend, and by Monday morning he was done waiting. He arrived at work early, as usual, but instead of pressing the button for floor 18 he pushed 31. He was determined to talk to Blaine and try to figure things out. As he walked out of the elevator Zizes caught his eye and motioned him over.

“I was going to call you, but you’re here now so this is easier.”

“Is he here yet? Have you talked with him?”

“No, I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet, but you were right he is out of sorts. Blaine’s usual smiley and happy self has not been so happy and smiley lately. It’s like he’s walking around with his own personal rain cloud over his head.”

That sounded horrible. Kurt felt responsible. He wasn’t even sure what he felt responsible _for_ , but he was determined to try to fix it.

“Is he here right now?”

“I think so…” She started to point toward where his desk was, but Kurt was already walking that direction. He knew where to go. He saw Blaine hunched over his keyboard, fingers dancing over the keys as he squinted at the screen. Kurt stood in the doorway of the cubicle for a moment, wondering how long it would take Blaine to notice him. After a minute he realized that Blaine either wasn’t going to notice, or wasn’t going to respond. So he spoke.

“Blaine,” he started.

“I’m busy, Kurt, go away.” He didn’t even look up at him.

“Can you give me just a minute?”

“Just go away, Kurt.”

Kurt grabbed a chair from the still empty cubicle next to them and rolled it over next to Blaine and sat in it. With an exaggerated sigh, Blaine turned in his chair to face him.

“I don’t understand Blaine. I think something happened between us but I don’t know what it was.” Kurt was looking at him carefully, trying to pick up hints of what the problem was. “In the elevator and at the gala you were giving me one kind of message, and now you’re giving me exactly the opposite, and I’m really confused. Did I do something?”

Blaine sighed again. This time it was more genuine, but it wasn’t any smaller, like he was resigning himself to something unpleasant but unavoidable. “The other day, when we had coffee, I saw you hugging someone outside the coffee shop. You hugged him like he was someone special, and seeing you with him, it looked like you were a couple… I felt jealous, because I didn’t know if your interest in me was the same as my interest in you. I guessed that maybe I  had misunderstood your intentions... Then you said you had just run into a friend, and it was a little awkward but I trusted you.”

Kurt nodded. “That is all he is…” he began, but Blaine interrupted.

“I thought it would be good to have a few days to clear my head, so I put you off about that date even though I really wanted to go out with you.” Kurt was nodding along but Blaine looked like he was in physical pain. “Then on Wednesday...” Blaine’s head dropped into his hands and he grabbed fistsful of his hair so hard that Kurt worried that he might pull some of it out.

“Wednesday?” Kurt prompted after a minute when Blaine showed no sign of continuing his explanation.

Blaine drew in a sharp breath and lifted his head a little but didn’t look at Kurt. “I had been thinking about you the whole time I was gone, Kurt. I couldn’t wait to see you. I ended up getting home a day early, and I was so excited to come surprise you at work.” Kurt started to smile, but then Blaine continued, “then I got got to your floor and I saw you hugging _him_ again.”

Oh.

“You hugged him, and he called you ‘dear.’” Kurt winced as he realized how his interactions with Michael must have looked to Blaine. Blaine looked really miserable now. “I figured you were in a relationship with him. I mean, you didn’t know I’d be back on Wednesday, so either you’re hiding him from me or hiding me from him… I know we just met, and I know we haven’t even figured out what is going on between us yet, but I thought there was something here…”

Kurt gulped. Wow, this did look really bad.

Blaine finally glanced up at Kurt’s face. “Then you come here, asking me about a date again, and I feel so confused and conflicted.” Blaine squared his jaw as he finished. “I just need to know, Kurt, are you with him? Because I like you. I like you more than I probably should for how short a time we have known each other. But I can’t be the other guy, Kurt. I just can’t.” He dropped his head into his hands again and rubbed at his temples as though his head hurt.

Kurt took a moment to find his voice. “Blaine, I, wow. I can only imagine how that must have looked. I’m so sorry. I can explain it, if you’ll let me…” Blaine didn’t move from his crumpled posture, so Kurt gingerly reached out his hand and slid his finger under Blaine’s jaw, lifting his chin so that he could look him in the eyes. Blaine’s eyes were full of tears and Kurt felt his own beginning to well up too.

“Michael is just a friend. Really. We dated at one point but it wasn’t that serious and a then he moved to L.A. and we broke up. I’ve only seen him this last week since he came into town on business and we just wanted to catch up a little bit. I didn’t know he was coming. Honestly I would have blown him off if I had known that you…”

Blaine blinked and a pair of tears rolled down opposite sides of his face.

“Blaine, I’m so sorry. Really.” Kurt realized that he had grabbed Blaine’s hand and was gripping it tightly as he spoke.

“He called you ‘dear.’ It really looked like there was something between you. I have been feeling so awkward and confused about it all.”

Kurt wracked his mind for what to say. “He knows all about you, Blaine.” Blaine’s eyes narrowed and he tilted his head to the side slightly. Kurt took that as a good sign and scooted closer on his chair and continued earnestly. “Actually he guessed. When we were on the way to the coffeehouse last week I just told him that I had an appointment for coffee with someone, and he said it must be a guy because he could tell I was excited to go… and then on Wednesday he bugged me about you until I told him everything. I mean, as much as there is…” Kurt hesitated before continuing. “I’m not sure what there is right now Blaine, but I want there to be something.”

Blaine squeezed Kurt’s hand. Kurt started to reach his other arm around Blaine’s shoulder, and Blaine dropped his hand and threw both arms around Kurt in a hug.

“I believe you Kurt. I wanted to believe you before, it’s just, we don’t actually know each other that well yet, and it looked…”

“I know,” Kurt whispered. “I know. I’m so sorry.”

“I want there to be something too,” Blaine whispered back.

Kurt pulled back. Both of their faces were wet now, and Kurt had the fleeting thought that he was glad he wasn’t one of those guys who wore eyeliner because it would be a mess now if he did. He smiled just slightly. Their arms still lingered on each other’s bodies, and Kurt could feel Blaine’s heartbeat and realized it was pounding as rapidly as his own. He met Blaine’s eyes and thought he saw hope and desire that mirrored his own. Kurt watched as Blaine’s eyes flickered to his lips and back up. Instinctively Kurt leaned forward, and it was only a moment before Blaine’s lips came and met his own.

The kiss was salty from the tears, and between Kurt’s smile and Blaine’s gasp they ended up knocking their teeth together which sent Blaine into a fit of giggling and they broke apart almost as soon as they had connected. Then Blaine’s giggles made Kurt start giggling and the whole moment turned into something silly rather than serious.

“Oh my god I can’t believe I just did that,” Blaine said half under his breath.

“Kissing me or laughing about it?” Kurt asked softly with a twinkle in his eye. But he didn’t wait for an answer before pulling Blaine’s face into his own and kissing him properly.

It wasn’t a long kiss, nor was it needy or frantic, but it was still intense. Kurt had kissed people before of course, but it had never been quite like this. Even as chaste as it was, the moment Kurt touched his lips to Blaine’s the second time he felt heat and electricity run through him all the way to his toes. He felt light-headed and dizzy and more alive than he could ever remember feeling before. He spread his fingers across the side of Blaine’s face and pressed closer for a moment before letting go.

As he pulled away Kurt watched Blaine’s face for an indication of how he was feeling. Blaine’s neck and ears were flushed and he could feel that his own were too. His lips were so full, and his eyes seemed to have gotten larger and darker in the moments since Kurt had last looked at them. Blaine’s eyelashes fluttered as he looked down at his knees, back at Kurt, off into space somewhere, and then back to Kurt again. His eyes shone as an endearing smile stretched across his face. He ran a hand through his hair and Kurt instinctively followed it with his own, feeling the tendrils curl around his fingers as he did so. Blaine blushed even darker.

“So, um, about that date…” A smile played at the corner of Kurt’s mouth. “Maybe we could--”

“Yes,” Blaine interjected, a grin enveloping his face. “Yes.”

* * * * *

On his way out Kurt didn’t even slow his pace as he passed Zizes desk.

“Problem solved,” he announced.

“Oh good! What was the…” but Kurt was already on the elevator. He waved to her with a sassy smirk on his face as the doors closed and cut her off before she could finish her question. He knew he’d hear about it later but he didn’t care. He had a date--a real date--this weekend with the man of his dreams.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The events of this chapter were redirected by Kurt and Blaine. I did not plan for it to go like this when I started writing... They were just going to talk and sort things out and then schedule a date. THE KISSING WAS NOT MY IDEA AND IS ALL THEIR FAULT!!  
> (But I don't really mind)
> 
> Also, I have not decided the details of their date yet. If you have ideas, I'd love to hear them in the comments! (Otherwise that chapter may be a little slow in coming!)


	12. Interim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have posted a couple of Klaine ficlets here on AO3 as well, so if you’re enjoying this story, check those out.
> 
> The song Kurt is thinking about is “As Time Goes By” from Casablanca. (Although I think he may have had the Barbra Striesand version in his head, since that’s the one that was in mine when I wrote it)
> 
> The song Blaine was humming was “Till There was You” from The Music Man. (The Beatles also did a cover, but he was humming the original--slower--version.)
> 
> The idea for the secret pal gift that Kurt receives is [here](http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2012/02/box-full-of-sunshine.html) and [here](http://katherinemariephotography.com/blog/archives/8969)

Kurt couldn’t stop smiling.

Monday morning had kicked off his week in basically the best way imaginable. He and Blaine had sorted out their misunderstanding and now they were going on a date this weekend.

Oh, and they’d kissed.

And it was magical.

Kurt felt the heat prickle and rise up his neck and cheeks every time he thought about it. Who knew that a simple kiss could have him practically dizzy with just thinking of it? He felt a little silly admitting it even to himself. A kiss is just a kiss, right? He was twenty-six. He wasn’t supposed to get giddy over a short little kiss.

_You must remember this_   
_A kiss is just a kiss_   
_A sigh is just a sigh…_

He found he was humming to himself as he went about his work. Then he stopped and thought about the lyrics of what he had just hummed.

 _No,_ he thought. _Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss, but sometimes...sometimes it’s something more._

_Isn’t it?_

* * * * *

The phone rang at 11:42am on Wednesday.

“Kurt Hummel,” he answered it promptly.

“Hi.” _Oh,_ that’s _who was calling._

“Hello.” Kurt suspected that his smile could be heard in his voice.

“I know our date isn’t until Saturday,” Blaine said, “but it is really beautiful outside today, and I’m about to take my lunch break, and I wondered if maybe you’d like to take a walk with me in Central Park.”

“Central Park?” Kurt repeated, surprised. “That’s quite a walk from here. Like a mile at least.”

“Almost a mile and a half, actually,” Blaine responded. “I go there pretty often when it’s nice though. I just feel like I’ve been cooped up inside all winter and I want to get outside for a while.”

“Is anything even open there in the winter?” Kurt asked.

“Not really, but it’s pleasant to just walk, and we could grab lunch someplace…”

“Um…” Kurt hesitated.

“We don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Blaine hurriedly said. “I mean I do like to get outside, but I admit that partly it’s an excuse to spend time with you before Saturday.”

 _Ah, there it was._ Kurt stifled a squeal. “I’m not sure I want a three mile hike on my lunch break Blaine, but I’d love to get lunch with you. There’s a decent Thai place about four blocks from here…”

“I know where it is,” Blaine interjected. Kurt smiled. He knew that Blaine knew: he’d seen the menu on Blaine’s bulletin board. That was how he had found the place to begin with in fact.

“So I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes?”

Kurt grinned again. “I’ll see you there.”

* * * * *

Over peanut noodles and spicy soup they chatted about where they had gone to college and how they had each gotten their jobs at the Times. Kurt shared how he had adjusted his plans and dreams after his first costuming class, when he realized that he could stand out in fashion more than he had ever had the chance to in acting. He rambled on about how his vogue internship reviewing fashion had led him to the NYT internship reviewing fashion, and how that had turned into his current job. Blaine confessed that his father knew people and had gotten someone to hire him initially on pure nepotism. Then he explained how he was frustrated that he hadn’t been able to prove himself initially, so now he worked hard to prove to his supervisors that he was worthy of his post. Based on the passion in his face as he said it, Kurt got the impression that Blaine was probably the hardest worker in his department.

They laughed together over Kurt’s story of when Isabelle had caught him breaking into Vogue’s vault at night to give Rachel a makeover. Kurt sympathized with Blaine when he told how he had been kept awake by fussy twin toddlers on the flight to England to begin school at Oxford (“dad’s alma mater” he explained), and how he had fallen asleep in the first part of his freshman orientation the next morning and the instructor had teased him about it all day.

The hour passed quickly, and as it drew to a close they pulled on their coats and scarves for the walk back to the office.

The sun was shining brightly, and it may have been unseasonably warm for the first week of February, but it was still not really that warm. Kurt was glad that he usually walked to work and had enough layers and accessories to keep himself comfortable. Blaine--a subway commuter, Kurt remembered--was not quite as warmly dressed. He wasn’t wearing gloves and he walked with his hands shoved deep in his coat pockets.

Having ones hands in one's pockets may be a fine way to keep them warm, but it can be problematic for balancing if one steps on a patch of ice, as Blaine proved when he slipped and fell against Kurt.

“Whoa, careful there Blaine!” Kurt said as he caught the other man’s body with his own, and clasped his hand to help him regain his balance.

“Well that was embarrassing,” Blaine muttered as he righted himself. “Sorry, I…” his voice trailed off as he looked down at their hands. Blaine was back on solid footing but neither of them had moved to let go.

“Um,” Kurt began, his eyes had followed Blaine’s down and now came back up to meet his gaze. “If your hand is too cold I understand, but…”

Blaine squeezed his hand. “I think I’ll be ok.” He shifted his grasp to a more appropriate angle and stepped closer to Kurt so that their hands could remain comfortably linked between them. “I don’t really want to let go either.”

Kurt made a mental note that this week’s secret pal gift should be a nice pair of gloves. Fur-lined, perhaps? He knew a place…

They fell into step with each other easily as they continued down the sidewalk. Kurt’s heart pounded at the proximity of Blaine’s body. An accidental brush of hands would have been exciting in a giddy, teenaged kind of way, but the way that Blaine had literally fallen into him--Blaine’s hand into his hand--it was almost like fate.

Kurt shook his head. He wasn’t superstitious. Sure, there had been something instant between himself and Blaine, but that was just pheromones. Nothing magical about those. Still, it seemed like there was something different--special--about Blaine. Kurt had been attracted to him from the first moment he saw him, but more than that he had felt comfortable with Blaine from the beginning too. Being with him felt natural, like it was meant to be. Kurt had heard people talk about perfect matches or soulmates, and he had never believed in things like that before. He still didn’t believe in things like that. But he couldn’t deny that when he was with Blaine he had an overwhelming sense that this developing relationship was something more or beyond what he had ever had before.

Perhaps it was because they had full stomachs and afternoon lethargy was beginning to set in. Perhaps Blaine was as distracted and lost in thought over the hand holding as Kurt was. Whatever the reason, as they walked down the sidewalk they had their hands linked but were no longer talking. Then at some point Kurt noticed that Blaine had started humming. It wasn’t loud, but Kurt recognized the tune.

If there was one thing that could make Blaine more beautiful it would be a good singing voice, and if those first few bars were anything to go by, it sounded like he might have one. Kurt smiled to himself and started humming a harmony line to Blaine’s melody.

At the end of the verse Blaine chuckled. “I didn’t realize I’d started humming until you joined me,” he explained quietly. “I used to sing a lot--I was in show choir in high school actually--but I don’t so much now.”

“I was in show choir in high school too,” Kurt exclaimed, “but same thing, I don’t sing so much now. The music is in my head still, but I don’t let it out like I used to.”

“Why is that, do you think?” Blaine asked. “Music was such a big part of my life then, and it’s like I just let it go when I got to college and then started working. Like maybe the responsibilities of adulthood left me feeling like I didn’t have time to sing anymore, except…”

“...you feel like something is missing without it.” Kurt finished.

“Yeah.” Blaine breathed the word out slowly.

“Yeah,” Kurt echoed.

Blaine squeezed his hand. Kurt squeezed back. He knew they had barely met, and there had certainly been enough misunderstandings between them already... But now that they were finally getting to know one another he kept having the feeling that Blaine was familiar already. As if somehow they had already known each other, and just had to remember each other from somewhere.

He squeezed Blaine’s hand as he looked over at him. Blaine squeezed back, met his gaze, and smiled back affectionately.

Whatever this _something_ was between them, it was good.

* * * * *

Friday morning Kurt arrived at his workspace to find a shoebox sized package on his desk. There was a note on top: _a box of sunshine to brighten your winter day, from your Secret Pal._

Kurt warily lifted the lid, and then burst out laughing. The box was filled with things that were yellow and orange. There were post-it notes and a small package of greeting cards, lemon drops, gourmet lollypops, scented candles, a box of lemon poppy seed muffin mix, packets of lemon zinger and orange spice tea, and, nestled right in the middle, an outrageously bright yellow coffee mug.

Kurt sat back in his chair and just stared for a few minutes as he absorbed it all. It was definitely unlike any secret pal gift he had ever seen. Actually it was unlike any gift of any kind that he had ever even heard of. It was so remarkably silly, and yet, so perfectly adorable at the same time. He couldn’t imagine ever wanting such a thing, and yet now that it was here on his desk he was delighted to have it.

Kurt popped a lemon drop in his mouth, carefully set the sunshine box on his shelf, and got to work with a smile on his face yet again. This had been a great week, and it wasn’t even over yet: tomorrow he had a date with Blaine.


	13. The Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my betas, [princewarblersteenagedream](http://princewarblersteenagedream.tumblr.com/) (who has been with me from the beginnning) and [alianne82](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Alianne82/pseuds/Alianne82) (who came in to help with the last few chapters).
> 
> This chapter rated T for mild suggestiveness.

The official plan for their date was that Blaine got to choose their activity for the first part of the evening, and then Kurt would choose where they went out to dinner afterward. At first they had bickered over who was asking out whom, but finally they decided to just split it and surprise each other.

All of which was fine and dandy, until Kurt found out what Blaine’s plan was. He went along with it, but as they waited for the subway train that would take them to dinner Kurt couldn’t help but tease Blaine about it a bit. 

“I can’t believe you took me to help serve at a soup kitchen for our date, Blaine.”

Blaine peered at him sideways through his (amazingly long and gorgeous) eyelashes. “You seemed to be having fun,” he said smugly.

“No, I mean yes, I did. I just, well, I guess I expected a venue that would be more…”

“Romantic?” Blaine asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes?” Kurt peeped.

Blaine laughed a hearty, full-throated laugh as the train pulled into the station and they made their way into the car. It was crowded, so they stood next to each other near a pole in the back. They both held the pole, but Kurt knew that the swaying of the train would probably press their bodies against each other a few times on the trip, and he was entirely ok with that. 

“I mean, helping the homeless is great,” Kurt said, resuming their conversation as the train began to move. “I am  _ not _ upset about it at all,” he clarified as Blaine’s brows furrowed. “It actually says a lot about you that you’d pick something like that. It just wasn’t at all what I had anticipated for a first date.”

“If there’s one thing I can say for studying and writing about politics every day,” Blaine said, “it’s that it has made me much more aware of the social and economic issues that affect people in this country.” He shrugged. “I started volunteering at the soup kitchen about a year ago. I go twice a month.”

Kurt stared, open-mouthed and unabashedly awe-struck at the man beside him. Blaine reached a hand over to him and with one finger gently pushed Kurt’s chin up until his mouth shut again. “It’s not that big a deal, Kurt.”

“Yes it is, Blaine,” Kurt started, but at that moment the train took a wide curve and Kurt found himself thrown rather forcefully into Blaine’s arms. Blaine just held him and smiled. This kind of thing would definitely have been awkward on a first date with anyone else, but with Blaine, it was fine. Kurt was comfortable sharing personal space with Blaine.  _Besides_ , he reminded himself as he regained his footing (without stepping any further from Blaine’s side),  _this might be the first official date, but it’s not like we’re strangers anymore at this point…_

“So that’s a really lovely scarf,” Blaine said, interrupting Kurt’s train of thought as he ran his hand along the soft grey that was looped around Kurt’s neck. 

“Why thank you,” Kurt smiled in response, fingering the soft cashmere. “It’s nice and warm too.”

“It looks good on you.”

Kurt blushed slightly at the compliment as the train lurched and knocked Blaine into his shoulder.

“Well I like your tie,” Kurt said with a straight face, brushing his finger across the silk and cheering inwardly that Blaine had chosen to wear the bow tie that Kurt had given him, even though of course Blaine didn’t know it was from Kurt.

“It’s new,” Blaine said evenly. “I wanted to look dapper for our date.”

“You have succeeded, good sir,” Kurt responded with a lowered voice and mock formality.

Blaine tipped his head and looked at him sideways. Kurt pursed his lips to keep in the smile but he couldn’t do it. Soon they were both laughing hard enough to earn awkward glances from the other people in the train car.

“So where are you taking us for dinner?” Blaine wheezed as he caught his breath.

Kurt smirked. “Hey, your part was a surprise, my part gets to be a surprise too!”

“Well, unless you had plans to blindfold me, I’m going to see it pretty soon.” Blaine hesitated. “You  _ didn’t _ have plans to blindfold me, did you?”

Kurt raised an eyebrow at him. “What if I did?”

“Ah, well, I guess I trust you. But I’m not sure we’re quite to that stage in this relationship yet…” he teased. Kurt snickered and Blaine poked him in the side, causing him to reflexively move closer in towards Blaine’s body.

“There were not a lot of places with reservations available for the weekend before Valentine’s on short notice,” Kurt pointed out. 

Blaine nodded. “But I have a feeling you found something stellar all the same.”

“I hope so,” Kurt said lightly. “I’ve never actually been there, but there are good reviews, and the location was right.”

“Location?” Blaine questioned as the train pulled into a station. Kurt grabbed Blaine’s hand and pulled him off the train and toward the stairs. 

“Yes, location!” Kurt gestured into the air emphatically.

Blaine looked a little confused as they emerged onto a very ordinary looking street, but he willingly followed as Kurt led him along for a block before stopping in front of a pair of glass doors with a restaurant name scrawled across them. 

“ _ Gaonnuri _ ” Blaine read. “I’ve never heard of this.”

“Me either,” Kurt giggled, “but it’s Korean so it should be good. And the location!” He gestured grandly around them.

Kurt caught Blaine looking around at the street again. There wasn’t anything special about it, but that was going to make the surprise all the better if Blaine had no idea what Kurt was talking about. Kurt turned back to the doors and Blaine followed him into the foyer, and up to the hostess desk. 

“I have a reservation for two under ‘Hummel’” Kurt told her with a smile. 

“The elevator is right there,” she pointed. “It will take you to the correct floor. I will call up and let them know that you’ve arrived. Just exit the elevator and wait by the door to be seated.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanks.”

Their words to her overlapped as they got into the elevator.

“Have a lovely evening sirs!” she called after them.

A few minutes later, as they were being led to a little table in the corner of a large room surrounded by windows, Blaine finally looked out at the view. Kurt saw the realization dawn on his face when he saw it.

“This is one of the few places that has a clear view of the Empire State Building all lit up for the holiday,” he whispered to Blaine as they reached their table. Kurt had already been proud of himself for getting the reservation, but when he saw how Blaine reacted to seeing the view he felt his heart flip. 

As the waiter set their menus on the table and walked away, Blaine squeezed Kurt’s hand and sighed contentedly “this is very possibly the most romantic date I’ve ever been on.” He turned toward Kurt, his honey-golden eyes wide and shining. “Maybe, do you mind if... I want to kiss you before we both have kimchi breath or something.” Kurt glanced around the room, but the lights were low and nobody seemed to be paying attention to them, so he nodded.

Blaine reached out, and as Kurt stepped close to him Blaine’s arm snaked around his waist pulling him closer. Blaine’s other hand spread across Kurt’s neck and cheek as they came together, so gentle and yet keeping him close. Kurt was vaguely aware that his arms had gone around Blaine too and that one hand was creeping into his curly hair while the other grabbed at his shirt: anything to hold him closer. There were fireworks and symphonies in his head and he wasn’t having coherent thoughts at all, he just knew that he’d really like to go on kissing Blaine forever. Instinctively he slipped his tongue along Blaine’s lower lip and felt more than heard Blaine’s sharp inhale as he pulled back and broke the spell of the moment.

“Later,” Blaine whispered. “I do actually want to have this dinner you planned for us. I’m kinda starving.”

Kurt thought about teasing Blaine with a pouty face, but decided against it. He was pretty hungry too.

* * * * *

Their dinner reservation had been in the later part of the evening, and by the time they finished eating there were not many diners left in the restaurant, so they knew they did not need to hurry out to make room for anyone else. Blaine scooted his chair around to be right next to Kurt’s, and laid his head on his shoulder as they stared out at the lights of the city. Kurt slid his hand into Blaine’s, intertwining their fingers in a way they had not been able to do when they had been outside with gloves. Kurt absentmindedly rubbed his thumb back and forth over Blaine’s knuckles, and then realized that Blaine was doing the same to him. He sighed contentedly.

“What?”

“Just this,” Kurt said, gesturing to their joined hands and then vaguely at everywhere. “This, us, everything. The way we feel comfortable with each other even though we just met. The way we finish each other’s sentences and feel the same way about so many things. The way that our bodies fall in sync with each other without thinking about it, as though we’d been together a long time, rather than being on our first date.” 

He turned to look down at Blaine, whose head was still on his shoulder. Blaine turned his head at the same time and their lips met, surprising them both.

“You mean like that?” Blaine whispered into his mouth. 

“Yeah, like that” Kurt breathed back.

* * * * *

“I don’t want this night to end yet,” Kurt said as they rode the elevator back down to the street level.

“Me either,” Blaine agreed, squeezing Kurt’s hand.

“Maybe, I mean I know it’s late, but would you like to catch a midnight movie or something?” Kurt asked hopefully.

Blaine sighed. “I am going to have to head home soon if I want to make the last train…” 

“Oh, right, you live across the river,” Kurt remembered. Then he stuck out his lower lip and made a pouty face. “Train schedules are not conducive to nice spontaneous romantic evenings.”

“We have had a  _very_ nice and  _very_ romantic evening, I think,” Blaine replied. “Two out of three?”

They were out on the street now, headed for the subway entrance, when Kurt stopped in his tracks. Since Blaine’s hand was caught in Kurt’s he was only able to continue for half a step before being jerked back. He turned and faced Kurt with concern in his face. 

“Kurt, did I say something wrong?”

“No Blaine, I just, um…” Blaine raised an eyebrow and tipped his head to the side in curiosity.

“You just um?” Blaine stepped in close and his clear hazel eyes looked right into Kurt’s.

Kurt took a deep breath and threw caution to the wind. “OK, I don’t want you to assume that I am assuming anything here, since it is our  first date and all, but would you like to just stay over at my apartment tonight? It’s here in the city so you wouldn’t have to worry about the train.” He was rushing over his words now, trying to explain himself without freaking out Blaine. “I mean, it’s really little, but I have a nice--”

“I’d love to,” Blaine murmured inches from Kurt’s lips before pressing in to kiss him.

“I have a lot of movies, we could even watch something there. Maybe we could make cocoa or--”

Blaine put his mouth on Kurt’s again and stopped the rambling.

* * * * *

They did make hot cocoa.

They didn’t get around to drinking it.

They did cuddle up on the couch with a blanket to watch a movie.

They did not actually  _watch_ much of the movie.

Apparently nobody had kimchi breath.

Blaine may have worn Kurt’s old yoga pants, and Kurt may have offered him those ones because they were a bit clingy and offered a particularly nice view from the back.

Kurt may have gotten a fairly impressive hickey just below his collarbone, and Blaine may have gotten one that matched.

They definitely fell asleep in each other’s arms.

And woke up the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my college roommates married a guy who took her to a blood drive for their first date. They both donated, and then sat and talked to each other (and the little old lady volunteers) and ate tiny sandwiches and cookies and drank tomato soup and orange juice for an hour and a half. I think it’s probably the best first date story I’ve ever heard. Unfortunately, in the USA gay men are not allowed to donate blood, so I took the basic idea and adapted it for Klaine. 
> 
> I don’t know NYC at all, but the internet helped me locate [Gaonnuri](www.gaonnurinyc.com) and that is what I based their dinner location on. (Check out the photos, it’s quite impressive!) Since it’s an upstairs restaurant, I based the foyer arrangements on what was at the Space Needle in Seattle, because I have been there. 
> 
> And that accidental kiss when they both turned at the same moment--that’s basically how my first kiss happened. They say “write what you know” right? :)


	14. Valentines

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the part where I admit that I am a HUGE nerd, and that I’m more than a little goofy-excited that the Valentine’s Day part is chapter 14, since Valentine’s is on the 14th of February… (yes, as I said, I am a really really big nerd).

The final week of the Secret Pal exchange was the same week as Valentine’s Day. Kurt had known for three weeks now that his gifts were going to someone he was interested in, and especially after last week’s date he decided to go with a romantic gesture for his final gift to Blaine. He spent several days organizing his plans and thoughts, and by Wednesday (Valentine’s Day itself), everything was ready to go. He was anxious and antsy all morning as he waited for the pieces to come together so that he could take them upstairs. He was going to deliver this last gift in person.

The florist’s shop delivered the bouquet of red and yellow roses to Kurt’s desk in the middle of the afternoon. Kurt took a deep breath as he smoothed his clothes for the fifth time in as many minutes. He picked up the flowers and little heart-shaped box of chocolates and headed for the elevator. It was a little cliche, he knew it was, and under any other circumstances he would have not considered a gift like this. But it was Valentine’s, and it was traditional and romantic, and it was Blaine… Somehow that excused all the cliches in the world.

Kurt shifted his weight a little nervously as the elevator dinged on the 31st floor and the doors slid open. Their date had gone well, and in his rational mind Kurt knew that he probably didn’t need to be nervous about this, but he couldn’t get his heart to stop racing anyway.

“Apologizing for something already Hummel?!” Zizes teased as he passed her desk.

Kurt was too excited to mind her jabs. “Naw, I just thought I’d romance him a bit. Valentine’s and all that.”

“Well good. You’d better take good care of that boy. I’m pretty sure he’s madly in love with you.”

Kurt felt the heat creep up his neck as it did so often lately. “I’m going to come out to him today.”

“Wait, you’re in the closet to him? This makes everything so confusing...” Zizes brought a hand to her mouth in pretended shock.

“No you dork, I’m going to come out as his secret pal.”

“Right then. Carry on Hummel.” She gestured grandly down the aisle.

Kurt snorted back at her. “Like I need your permission, Zizes,” he called over his shoulder as he headed for Blaine’s cubicle.

He managed to walk up quietly behind Blaine without being noticed until he held out the candy and flowers and announced “Happy Valentine’s Day Blaine!”

Blaine looked up and then turned around as a broad smile spread across his face. “Wow, Kurt, these are beautiful…” he began.

“Happy Valentine’s Day _from your secret pal_ , Blaine.” Kurt enunciated the words carefully to make them stand out.

“Wait, you? Really? Wow, that’s crazy! What are the chances?” Blaine babbled as he accepted the bouquet and chocolates.

“I know,” Kurt agreed. “Actually it gets even crazier, because when I first drew your name I had no idea who you were, and I had never known someone with the name ‘Blaine’ before, and somehow I thought it was a girl’s name.” He figured he might as well get this part over with right now, because it was bound to come up sooner or later. (Zizes wasn’t very good with secrets, especially if she had a couple of cocktails.)

Blaine stared at him with wide eyes. He shook his head and his whole body started shaking. Kurt blushed and ducked his head. “I know, I was kinda stupid, but really I just didn’t know…” as Kurt watched Blaine he realized that he was shaking with laughter, and he relaxed. “Anyway, I guess it’s a funny story we can tell people…”

Blaine sucked in a loud breath but then chuckled for another minute before he managed to compose himself enough to speak. “When did you find out? Please tell me it was before the bow tie?!”

“Oh, yes,” Kurt snickered himself now. “I found out who you were that first time we went out for coffee.” He shot Blaine a look. “You may have noticed that I was a bit, um, distracted that day. That was because I was shocked to find out that the guy I was crushing on and the girl I was giving secret pal gifts to were one and the same. It broke my brain for a while there.”

“Honestly, Kurt, I was so distracted and flustered that day myself that I didn’t notice at all.”

“Oh, right, because…”

“Yeah.” Blaine reached out and squeezed Kurt’s hand. “I don’t want to talk about that right now,” he said with a glimmer in his eye as he began to pull Kurt closer.

Kurt pulled back a little and hurriedly explained “wait just a minute.”

“Oh,” Blaine looked confused.

“There is just something I want to ask you first,” Kurt continued. He straightened up, adjusted his vest, and cleared his throat. “At the risk of being cheesy and cliche, but acknowledging that this week, and those flowers and chocolates have already pushed us dangerously into that territory anyway, I’d like to officially ask you to be my boyfriend.” He bit his lip and smiled hopefully.

Blaine stared at him for a minute, looking like he was having to seriously consider the matter. _Oh no I pushed too fast AGAIN,_ Kurt thought. Then Blaine pursed his lips and slowly blew out the breath that apparently he had been holding.

“With two conditions,” he said somberly

“What?” Kurt asked nervously.

“If I’m your boyfriend then you’re my valentine.”

Kurt relaxed. “Absolutely. What’s the other condition?”

“Get over here and kiss me already.”

Grins filled both their faces as Kurt closed the small gap between them and happily complied.

* * * * *

On Friday morning Kurt arrived at his cubicle to find Blaine reclined in his chair with his feet up on the desk. Feet on his desk was not something Kurt would have approved of under any other circumstances, but somehow when it was Blaine he found it endearing instead of obnoxious.

“Good morning Beautiful” Blaine greeted him as he began unwinding his scarf and removing his gloves.

“What brings you down here this morning?” Kurt asked as he set his accessories in their place on the shelf.

“Do I have to have an excuse to visit my _boyfriend_ _?!”_ Blaine asked in pretended frustration but with a twinkle in his eye.

“Of course not, it’s just that we already have plans for tonight, so I was a little surprised to see you here…” Kurt trailed off, not sure why he had even brought it up. Of course he was happy to see Blaine; he didn’t want to chase him away when he’d only just arrived!

“Well, I had something to deliver to you,” Blaine said, taking his feet off the desk and tapping a long white envelope on the edge of it instead. “It so happens that I got my hands on a couple of tickets to a singalong of Broadway hits next week, and I was hoping that maybe we could go together. You know, after we were talking about missing singing and everything…” He held the envelope out to Kurt, who accepted it excitedly.

“Wow, Blaine, these are awesome!” he said as he slipped the tickets out and looked at the seat numbers on them. “Of course I would love to go! But you didn’t have to you know, I mean these are good seats, they were probably expensive.”

“You missed something,” Blaine said, pointing to the envelope. “Turn it over.”

Kurt turned over the envelope to see familiar careful block letters: _from your secret pal._

He froze as his eyes slowly lifted to meet Blaine’s.

“Wait, you? We both? That can’t…” He couldn’t complete a sentence or even a whole phrase.

_What were the chances that out of nearly a thousand participants, Kurt had drawn Blaine’s name and Blaine had drawn Kurt’s?_

“So, it’s my turn to be a little cheesy and cliche,” Blaine continued, “but do you believe in fate? Or…”

“Soulmates?” Kurt finished.

Blaine nodded.

“No, I really never have...” Kurt began

“Me neither,” Blaine replied smoothly. "Which is probably a good thing because if we did we might decide that we were destined to be together, and we might jump in too fast or something.”

Kurt nodded dumbly.

Blaine stood and moved in close to Kurt, reaching his arms around his boyfriend and nuzzling his face into his neck. Kurt’s long arms encircled him in return and they held each other tightly.

“I didn’t know it before, but I think I’ve been looking for you forever,” Blaine’s voice was soft in Kurt’s ear.

“I didn’t know it before, but I think I’ll never say goodbye to you,” Kurt whispered back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yes, they both had each other as secret pals. Because they are soulmates and so destiny intervened repeatedly until they got together. That was something I had figured out from the beginning of the story, and there are little hints of it (what they gave each other at what times) all along the way. It’s this whole meta thing going on in my head...but I won’t bore you with it. You can find it if you feel like going back and looking I’m sure. :)


	15. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rated T for mild suggestiveness
> 
> just as a warning: in this AU Finn did not die, and he does appear briefly in this chapter.
> 
> (Go ahead, go listen to [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ozorOMdYk) five times in a row while you read this chapter. That’s what I did while writing it!) 
> 
> Also, check out this [beautiful manip](http://heukii.tumblr.com/post/97068270309) from Heukii. She gave me permission to link it here because I think it’s pretty much how Kurt and Blaine look on this day.

Blaine shifted his weight from one side to the other and shuffled his feet, trying to get his nerves to cool through the repeated motion. It didn’t work.

He wasn’t worried nervous, just antsy and anxious and really really tired of waiting. He was about to start pacing the room when his brother grabbed his shoulder and forced him to stand still. Cooper straightened Blaine’s bow tie for the umpteenth time, and brushed some microscopic bit of lint off of his suit coat lapel before swatting him on the butt and saying “I’ll see you out there in a minute. Go get him Blaine.” Cooper flashed him a grin and slipped out the door.

As Blaine waited in the tiny room for the music to begin, he thought back over the last three years. Three years ago last month he had met Kurt Hummel in a bizarre and movie-like series of coincidences. Three years ago they had gone on their first date. One year ago Kurt had dropped to his knee and proposed to Blaine in the same little coffeehouse where they had first seen each other (much to the surprise of the barista who thought he had spilled something on the floor and came over to help wipe it up). And today they were getting married. Maybe it was cheesy, but Blaine liked that their wedding anniversary was going to be on the same day as the anniversary they already celebrated.

The opening notes of their song rose from the next room, and Blaine opened the door and stepped out into the grand hall.

_Never knew I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky before _

Blaine looked across to the door at the other back corner of the hall and saw Kurt entering there. They had decided that they both wanted to enter the room and walk up the aisle at the same time, so they had chosen a location with two aisles. Kurt caught his eye and grinned. Blaine had to catch his breath, as he always did when Kurt smiled at him. That had never changed.

_Want to vanish inside your kiss  
Every day I love you more and more _

They faced forward and both moved toward the front of the hall, where Cooper and Finn were waiting for them on either side of the petite Latina justice of the peace who would marry them.

_Listen to my heart, can you hear it sings?_   
_Telling me to give you everything_   
_Seasons may change, winter to spring_   
_But I love you until the end of time_

_Come what may_   
_Come what may_   
_I will love you until my dying day_

In spite of walking as slowly as they could bear, Kurt and Blaine had both reached the front by this time. So they stood facing each other and held hands while they waited for the rest of the song. Kurt started mouthing the words and Blaine joined in. So what if it was cheesy; this was their wedding, they could mouth lyrics at each other if they wanted to.

_Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place_   
_Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace_   
_Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste_   
_It all revolves around you_

He and Kurt had chosen this song as their own on one of their first nights together. He couldn’t even remember when anymore, because it seemed like it was something that had simply always been.

_And there's no mountain too high_   
_No river too wide_   
_Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side_   
_Storm clouds may gather,_   
_And stars may collide_   
_But I love you_   
_Until the end of time_

Blaine knew that over two hundred friends and family members had come to see them today, but in this moment he didn’t care about any of them. His vision blurred in the periphery and the only thing left in clear focus was Kurt.

_Come what may_   
_Come what may_   
_I will love you until my dying day_

The song drew to a close and Kurt squeezed Blaine's hands as the justice cleared her throat to begin the ceremony. Blaine squeezed back, overwhelmed with the knowledge of what they were doing today and what it meant.

Kurt and Blaine had written their vows together, wanting to speak the same words to each other, but still wanting them to be personalized to them. (Early on Blaine had suggested that they could just use the words of _Come What May_ as their vows, but after a rousing pillow fight over the matter he had agreed that it would be better to write something more original.)

I, Blaine take you, Kurt  
To be my husband   
Fearlessly and forever.   
To hold your hand with courage and trust   
In sickness, health, or Pulitzer prizes.   
I promise to spend my life loving you   
Defending you, supporting you,   
And building a life of harmony with you   
Until the end of time.

He listened as Kurt took turns repeating the lines with him, never dropping contact with those brilliant clear blue eyes. The justice of the peace spoke the words of legal binding. Blaine was so lost in Kurt’s gaze that Cooper had to elbow him rather sharply in the ribs to get his attention. _Oh yeah, I have to let go of Kurt’s hand so I can get the ring from Cooper!_  Kurt started giggling because on his side Finn was fumbling to get Blaine’s ring from his pocket. It flipped from his fingers and might have hit the ground if Kurt had not employed his quick reflexes to catch it. A murmuring chuckle moved through the crowd as Kurt and Blaine finally put rings on each other’s fingers.

“I now pronounce you legally married in the state of New York” the justice announced. “You may kiss your husband.”

Kurt leaned in and closed his eyes as the crowd grew silent and Blaine placed a soft kiss on his new husband’s lips.

“Really? Is that all you got?” the justice teased.

Kurt almost choked as Blaine laughed before pulling and twisting his husband (husband!) into a dip and kissing Kurt as hard as he could.

The audience members whooped and applauded and laughed outright now, and Blaine thought he heard Zizes’ voice in the midst of it call out “get some, boys!”

Blaine brought Kurt up, helped him adjust his suit jacket (“I spent sixteen hours custom tailoring this suit Blaine!”) and then clasped his hand as they walked down the aisle toward the neighboring room where the reception was being held. Their family and friends rose from their seats and crowded behind them.

 


	16. Deleted Scene

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally wrote this as part of their first meeting in the coffee shop, but then when I added the Michael scenario to the mix it didn't fit in anymore. I kept thinking maybe I could slip it in elsewhere, in a later conversation, or on their date... but it just never seemed to fit. I still like it though, so I thought I'd just put it out here as a bonus feature. :)  
> The whole Montgomery thing, as you might guess, was inspired by [this](http://www.pinterest.com/pin/77476056064499997/)

“So, I need to make a confession.” Blaine’s hazel eyes stared earnestly into Kurt’s as they settled into their seats on opposite sides of the table at the coffee shop.

“Should I be worried?” Kurt asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t know, maybe?” there was a twinkle in Blaine’s eye now. “So much  between us has been weird so far, but you haven’t run away screaming yet, so I’m hoping that you won’t now. But I think it’s only fair that you know that ever since that first night when we saw each other here, I’ve sort of had a nickname for you. I mean in my head. I’ve been calling you ‘Beautiful Stranger.’” He looked bashfully down at his hands.

_Oh was that all?_

“Montgomery,” Kurt blurted as he tried to hold in a chuckle.

“What?”

“Montgomery. In _my_ head I’ve been calling _you_ Montgomery.”

“Montgomery?” Blaine asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, like Montgomery Clift? I thought, well, you reminded me of him a little.” Kurt felt slightly bashful now.

“What?!”

“Before the accident, obviously.”

“Oh.” Blaine paused only a moment. “Oh! Well thank you. He was hot.”

“So are you.” _Oh god did I just say that out loud?_ Kurt felt the color rising in his cheeks and his collar felt too tight.

“So are you.” Kurt was met with a full out grin this time.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Now that the story is complete, some of the comments on various chapters have spoilers for later chapters... just FYI. :)


End file.
